Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen
by Star of Heaven
Summary: Sakura returns to Tokyo and enters an unstable relationship with Schuldig. Ran can't bring himself to trust Schuldig, and Sakura ponders her feelings for Ran and Schuldig. [Schuldig x Sakura] [Complete]
1. Return To Me

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz is owned by Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiß, not me. Anyway, this fic takes place one year after the Dramatic Precious CDs, but there aren't really that many references. (Just know that Manx and Birman are dead, the new Persia was named Yoshirou Kurasuma, Ken had something going on with a prostitute named Reiko before he was forced to kill her, and Sakura went to Paris to study.) This fic is rated PG-13 for suggestive situations and mild violence. There are also some discussions about rape, just so you know.

Chapter 1: Return To Me  
After a year of studying in Paris, Tomoe Sakura was returning to Tokyo. She could've stayed in Paris longer if she had wished, but she was becoming homesick. She missed her family and her friends, but most of all she missed her closest friend Fujimiya Aya. There was another reason she had wanted to return to Tokyo, but she tried not to think about it.

Sakura was now seventeen years old and she was a sophomore in high school. While in France, her French had improved greatly, so now it felt strange to speak Japanese again. Still, she was happy to be in Japan once more.

Once her plane had landed successfully, she and the rest of the passengers were allowed to get off. Clutching her carry-on luggage tightly, Sakura made her way through the large crowd. The airport was so packed with people, she didn't think she would be able to find her mother.

Out of habit, she raised her hand up to play with the golden dangling earring in her left ear. Two years ago, Aya had given her the earring after they had become close friends. The other one belonged to Aya's brother.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" called out a cheerful female voice somewhere behind Sakura. She instantly recognized it.

"Aya-chan!" Sakura replied, whirling around. Sure enough, Aya was with Yamaguchi Momoe, the old lady who acted as her guardian.

"Hello, Sakura," Momoe greeted. "Your mother had something important come up, so she had us come greet you instead."

"Oh, that's great!" Sakura exclaimed. "I was really starting to miss you two."

Aya chuckled. "C'mon, let's go pick up your luggage," she suggested. "Then we can go to the Kitty in the House so you can tell us all about Paris."

"Sure," Sakura agreed, grinning broadly. She, Aya, and Momoe then went to find her luggage.

Meanwhile, someone had been watching Sakura. He brushed his messy orange hair out of his icy blue eyes. _It's been two years,_ he said to himself, pushing his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. _I wonder if you remember me? I remember you quite clearly. You're all I've been thinking about these last two years, and now I can finally have you._

"Sakura, you will be mine," he whispered quietly, a wicked smirk forming on his lips. Sakura would be his; he would make absolute sure of that.

After all, Schuldig always got what he wanted, no matter what.

o o o o o o

Even though it was summer, it was a slow day at the Kitty in the House, so Aya and Momoe decided to close the shop early. Sakura was staying over for lunch, and after that she would be going home.

There was something Aya found strange. Not once had Sakura asked about her brother. Before, the brown-haired girl had been determined to wait for him. But, that was two years ago, and she never did see him again after that whole incident. Maybe she was finally getting over him. Somehow, Aya was saddened by that. She would've liked it if Sakura were her brother's girlfriend.

Sakura finished her rice and then stacked the bowl onto her plate. "Thanks for the meal, Aya-chan," she said. "I really enjoyed it. Well, I have to be leaving now. I'll come back tomorrow. See ya." She stood up and was about to leave, but Momoe stopped her.

"Sakura, I found this in the red roses outside," the old lady said, handing Sakura a small envelope. The young girl accepted it and took a good look at it. Written on it in sloppy hiragana was _To Tomoe Sakura, the cherry blossom that is mine._

"Do you know who sent it?" Aya asked Momoe as she came up behind Sakura.

"No idea," Momoe answered, a confused look on her wrinkled face.

Sakura opened the envelope and pulled out the note. The handwriting was neater, but that was because it wasn't in Japanese. It was in German. It read:

_"Meine liebe Sakura, ich habe dich vermisst. Ich will dich sehen. Sollen wir begegnen? Ich glaube, daß wir sollen. Du gehört zu mir, und ich gehört zu dir. Deine Geliebte."_

Sakura's breathing became stiff as she read through the note. She didn't understand a word of it, but she had a good idea of who wrote it. But the question was, how could he be alive? She thought he had died when the Ani Museum had sunk into the sea.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Aya wondered, noticing how pale the other girl seemed. "Do you know who wrote the note?"

"N-No, I don't," Sakura lied, pocketing the note. "I should really be leaving now. Well, see ya." She tried to hide her nervousness with false cheerfulness. She left the flower shop and walked briskly down the sidewalk. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

_How could he have survived?_ Sakura asked herself. _He's an evil person. He should've died._ Then a horrible thought struck her. _What if Aya-san was the one who died?_

"My dear Sakura, I missed you," said a smooth voice behind the young girl. "I want to see you. Should we meet? I think we should. You belong to me, and I belong to you."

Sakura turned around to face the man standing behind her. His hands were pocketed in the leather trench coat that fell to his knees. His sunglasses were perched in his long, messy orange hair. On his face was an amused, yet wicked expression.

The young girl took a few steps backwards. "S-Schuldig-san!" she stuttered, her heart in her throat.

"So you haven't forgotten me," Schuldig noticed, stepping up to Sakura. "I know I haven't forgotten about you." He cupped her chin in his hand and held his face close to hers. She felt his hot breath on her lips. "I've been longing for you these past two years," the German continued. He grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her closer. "Why don't we go on a 'date' together?"

"I can't," Sakura declined, trying to pull her wrist free of the Schuldig's grip. "I have to get home now." She tried to say that firmly, but she failed miserably.

"Ah," Schuldig sounded suddenly, loosing his grip on the girl's wrist. He reached out and touched the earring in Sakura's left ear. "You're still stuck on Aya. Or Ran, considering how his sister is awake now. Anyway, if he's the reason you returned to Tokyo, you wasted your time. Has he kept in touch with you? No?" He allowed his words to sink into Sakura's brain before continuing. "So you see, he has completely forgotten about you. But I haven't."

Sakura lowered her cherry blossom eyes from the German's gaze. He was probably right. Not once in the last two years had Ran seen or talked to her. But, neither had Schuldig. Still, he was the one who was here now…

"Sakura, why don't we go out, just for a little bit?" Schuldig suggested. "I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind waiting another hour."

"Sure," Sakura agreed without looking up. Spending just one hour with Schuldig wouldn't hurt, she hoped.

Schuldig smiled and took Sakura's hand into his own and led her to a café that was down the street from the Kitty in the House. Once they were inside, they headed over to a booth that was in the far corner. When the waiter came over, Sakura ordered fruit juice and Schuldig ordered coffee. The German paid for both drinks when the waiter came back with them. _So this really is a date,_ Sakura figured.

Schuldig took a sip of his coffee and touched Sakura's hand. "Why don't you get over Ran?" he requested in a suave voice. "He's not here. He may not even be alive. But I am. And I'm here. I'm not as evil as you think I am. So, go out with me for a while."

Sakura pulled her hand back. ""You used me, and played with my feelings," she reminded. "How can I believe you?"

"By giving me a chance," Schuldig whispered. He stood up and touched Sakura's cheek. "You might even fall in love with me." Quite suddenly, he gently pressed his lips against the young girl's. "I love you," he admitted as he pulled his lips away.

Sakura was not at all taken back by Schuldig's unexpected kiss. It wasn't as forced as she would've imagined. "Okay, I'll give you a chance," she decided, a small smile on her face.

o o o o o o

The final days of July faded away as August strode in. Schuldig and Sakura had been going out for a little over a month. While their relationship was more than that of friends, Sakura was uncertain of her feelings for Schuldig. He kissed and hugged her often, but she wasn't sure if she returned his feelings. Even so, they kept their relationship a secret.

Sakura stood outside the gate of her house, waiting for Schuldig. They had decided to go see a movie. Soon enough, she saw the German's red car pull up next to her.

Schuldig leaned over and opened the door for Sakura. "Ready?" he asked.

Sakura got into the car and closed the door behind her. "Yeah," she replied happily.

Schuldig kissed Sakura's cheek. "I love every moment I spend with you," he said.

* * *

Translation Notes:  
_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzzeihen:_ I will always forgive you


	2. Little Secrets

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Chapter 2: Little Secrets  
Fujimiya Ran was stretched out over the couch with a newspaper over his face. As much as he hated to admit it, he was bored. There wasn't much to do in the mobile flower shop.

It had been this way ever since Kritiker had begun to fall apart. Now that Kurasuma, Manx, and Birman were dead, there wasn't much left of Weiß. However, Omi had chosen to live with the former members instead of with his grandfather. Somehow, that made Ran a little happier.

So, for a year, Ran, Ken, Omi, and Yoji had lived as ordinary florists. On the surface, they seemed to have put their murderous pasts behind them, but at night it all came back in their nightmares.

Ran threw the newspaper off of his face and rolled over onto his side. He looked over at the dark purple scabbard that was propped up against the wall. It was missing its sword. A year ago, Ran's former sword master Shion had shattered the katana before the redhead had been forced to kill him.

Ran gritted his teeth and turned his face away. It hurt to think about that. He didn't even have the courage to buy a new sword.

"Why are lying here in the dark?" Kudou Yoji asked as he stepped into the room and flipped on the lights.

"Go away," Ran ordered dully, without even looking at Yoji.

Yoji crossed his arms over his chest. "We're in Tokyo now," he told Ran. "So how long has it been?"

Ran's violet eyes became narrow slits. "I want to leave. Now," he commanded firmly.

"Why?" Yoji asked coolly. "Don't you even want to see your sister again? Or what about Sakura? She was deeply in love with you. You should at least acknowledge her."

"If that's all you came here for, get out," Ran hissed, both his voice and face void of any emotion.

Yoji, without another word, turned on his heel and left the room.

Ran sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He really did want to see Aya again, but she was far better off without him. It hurt to admit that.

And what of Sakura? Every time he thought about her, he felt a deep emptiness inside his heart, and a strong longing. He couldn't stand it. But it didn't matter. Sakura, like Aya, was much better off without him around.

o o o o o o

Schuldig and Sakura stepped into the theater room that would be playing the movie "Velvet Underworld." Sakura had picked out the movie; Schuldig really didn't care what movie they ended up watching.

As they were walking down to the middle row, Schuldig suddenly wrapped his arms around Sakura's shoulders from behind. He cupped her face in his hand and rested his chin on her collarbone. "Mm…you're very beautiful, you know that, right?" he complimented, his voice low and heated.

"Yeah, you tell me that often," Sakura replied, a little embarrassed.

Schuldig's hand slid down to Sakura's chest, near the base of her throat. "You know, your breasts have gotten a little bigger," he pointed out, still using a seductive tone. "And they look so firm and round."

"Schuldig-san!" Sakura exclaimed, her face becoming redder.

A quiet laugh escaped from Schuldig as he kissed the side of Sakura's neck. "C'mon, don't be shy," he requested. His voice tickled the girl's ear. "Your breasts have come in very nicely." Slowly, he slithered his fingers over Sakura's chest.

Instinctively, Sakura pushed herself out of Schuldig's embrace. "Don't do that!" she ordered firmly, wrapping her arms protectively around her body to cover her breasts. Her breathing was heavy.

"All right, I'm sorry," Schuldig apologized, raising his hands up. "I'll keep my hands to myself." A smirk came upon his lips. "So, why don't we go sit down now?"

"Uh, sure," Sakura agreed, still slightly miffed at Schuldig making comments about her breasts.

o o o o o o

"Hey, I'm going out for a while," Yoji yelled to Tsukiyono Omi as he gripped the doorknob.

"Okay, but be back soon," Omi requested.

Yoji smiled softly and walked out of the trailer. He had remembered that there was a theater nearby, so he decided to go see a movie.

In the past, he would have found a beautiful woman to go out with (and possibly screw with later), but he didn't want to do that now. It wasn't because he didn't want sex (actually, it had been six months since he last made love to someone, so his body was really aching for some sex). It was just that he was afraid. Sometimes when he slept with a woman, he unknowingly tried to strangle her. The last time that happened, he had nearly killed the woman.

And it was all because he couldn't get over the fact he may have killed Murase Asuka.

But what if she hadn't been Asuka; just the cold-hearted Neu of Schreient?

Yoji tried not to think about his mental problems as he walked into the theater. He paid for a ticket to some random movie (called "Velvet Underworld," or something) and headed for the theater room it was playing in. He didn't bother with any snacks.

Yoji found the room and pushed open the doors. In this particular theater, there were only two other people, and they were sitting somewhere near the middle. The blond florist sat a few rows behind them.

The two seemed like a couple to Yoji. The taller one had his arm wrapped around the young girl's shoulders. Because of the dimming lights, Yoji couldn't make out much about them. However, the man's long, messy hair appeared familiar, and the girl's one earring looked much like Ran's…

Yoji laid his head back and tried to concentrate on the movie. But for some reason, he was more interested in the couple. What was so special about them? Okay, so they did seem familiar somehow…

Suddenly, the man started kissing the girl, but she gently pushed him away. "Not here," she whispered. "What if someone sees us?" Her voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"Don't worry," the man reassured. His voice was familiar, too. "We're the only ones here, Sakura."

"Sakura?" Yoji exclaimed, quickly standing up. "Tomoe Sakura?"

The couple swiftly turned to face Yoji. The girl was, in fact, Tomoe Sakura, and the man was none other than Schuldig of Schwarz.

"Y-Yoji-san…" Sakura stuttered nervously. "I-It's nice to see you again…"

Yoji jumped down to the row behind Sakura's and gripped her shoulders. "Sakura, what are you thinking?" he asked, quite shocked. "Don't you remember who that man is? He doesn't want to love you! He only wants to use you!"

"That describes you," Schuldig corrected, pushing Yoji away from Sakura. "But you forgot to mention how you like to strangle women after you're done with them."

"That's not true!" Yoji yelled, his face red from anger.

"Oh, but it is," Schuldig countered. "I can see it clearly in your mind." He took Sakura's hand. "C'mon, Sakura. I don't want Yoji to use you and then strangle you," he added cruelly.

Sakura yanked her hand out of Schuldig's. "Yoji-san, wait," she requested, turning to face Yoji. "How's Aya-san? Is he still alive?" Her cherry blossom eyes held a hopeful look.

Yoji nodded, smiling weakly. "Of course," he answered. "But he's back to his real name now."

Schuldig roughly seized Sakura's arm. "We're leaving now," he said harshly. He pulled the young girl away and they left the theater room.

Yoji flopped down on a chair and ran his fingers through his wavy hair. By the way Schuldig had grabbed Sakura's arm, one would think that she was in an abusive relationship. But, judging by the expression that was on Sakura's face, it seemed that Schuldig had never been that rough before. Still, Yoji feared, it was possible for that little thing to turn into something more.

o o o o o o

Sakura was silent as Schuldig drove her home. It was too uncharacteristic for her, but he knew why she was being like that. He had hurt her when he dragged her by her arm. While she was not vocal about it at all, it was painfully clear in her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," Schuldig finally apologized. Sakura's thoughts were making him uncomfortable.

Sakura said nothing in reply, but a question was beginning to form in her mind.

"You want to know why I don't want you to see Ran?" Schuldig vocalized. "I don't want him to hurt you. Remember, he has no regard for you. It would be pointless to go see him."

Once again, Sakura said nothing in reply. They were now at her house. Schuldig bent over to give Sakura a kiss on her cheek, but she was out of the car before he could do so.

"Fine, be that way," Schuldig hissed quietly. If Sakura wasn't going to heed his warning, then she would just have to find out the hard way.

An amusing thought then came into his mind. Was he getting a little jealous? Schuldig chuckled at the mere idea. He did not get "jealous." He had no reason to. He was only telling Sakura the truth. He placed his foot on the accelerator and started driving again.

o o o o o o

The sun's rays were dying as the sky grew darker, and Ran was nowhere to be seen. For no reason known to Hidaka Ken, Ran just left the trailer, saying that he would be back later.

Yoji and Omi had gone to bed, but Ken was still awake to wait for Ran. Now that the brunette thought about it, it didn't seem so strange that Ran wanted to go out for a little bit. They were in Tokyo again. Maybe he just wanted some time to reflect, or to see his sister again.

Or maybe it was somebody else he wanted to see. Before Ran had left, there had been a sad and wishful expression on his face.

Whatever the reason, Ken just prayed that Ran wouldn't be emotionally hurt.

o o o o o o

At night in her bedroom, Sakura laid her hand on the mirror. She had tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't. She was thinking about Schuldig too much.

The German had hurt and scared her when he seized her arm the way he did. He was never rough with her before. Why was he so angered with her? Was it because he was jealous?

And then there was Yoji. Schuldig had said the blond playboy liked to strangle women after he was done with them. Sakura didn't want to believe that, considering how Schuldig was a master of lying, but what if he was telling the truth? That thought made the young girl feel frightened of Yoji.

A sound at the window broke Sakura's train of thought. She stood up and pulled open the shades, and she saw someone quite unexpected.

Fujimiya Ran.

"Aya-san!" Sakura exclaimed as she slid open the window to let Ran into her room.

"Ran," he corrected as he stepped inside. "I'm back to my real name." He reached out and touched Sakura's cheek. "Sakura, I really missed you. I won't be in Tokyo for long, but I would like to see you sometime." He gently laid his hands on the girl's waist and pulled her into his arms. Not once did he smile, but he had other ways of conveying his happiness.

Sakura liked being in Ran's arms. His embrace was warm and comforting. She wrapped her own arms around his slender back. Her buried feelings were resurfacing as they grew stronger once more.

Horrible thoughts then came flooding into her mind. What if Schuldig found out about this? He would get jealous, and quite possibly hurt her again… Panicking, she quickly pushed herself out of Ran's embrace.

Ran was taken aback at Sakura's discomfort. "What's wrong?" he asked, hurt clearly visible in his pale face.

"Um, nothing," Sakura lied, her voice shaky. "Hey, how 'bout we get together sometime tomorrow?" she suggested in an attempt to change the subject. "We can meet at that one café near the Kitty in the House."

"Sure," Ran agreed, his voice cool. "See you then." Silently, he left Sakura's room and shut the window behind him.

Sakura threw herself on her bed. Schuldig would find out about this for sure, and then he would angry. And what if Ran found out about Schuldig? He hated Schuldig, so what would happen if he discovered that she had been going out with Schuldig for over a month? Sakura pondered these questions all through the night.


	3. Painful Love

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Chapter 3: Painful Love  
It was only early morning, but Aya and Momoe were already opening up the Kitty in the House. Still, Aya almost dropped the clay pot she was holding when the phone started ringing. She definitely had not been expecting that.

Momoe answered the phone. "Hello, Kitty in the House," she greeted. "Oh Sakura, how are you?" There was a long pause before she said, "Oh, you can't? Well, have fun." She hung up the phone.

"What did Sakura-chan need?" Aya asked the old woman.

"She won't be able to come today," Momoe answered. "She's going out with a friend later."

"Oh," was Aya's only response. She put the clay pot down on the table and stole a glance out the window. She was really worried about Sakura. She often saw Sakura in the company of this orange-haired man who was obviously older than her. Aya wondered what was really going on between them.

Aya shook her head at the thought. Sakura wasn't the type of girl who would sell her body for money. She would never get involved in prostitution. But still, what if that man decided to rape her?

"Aya, you don't have to worry so much," Momoe told the younger girl. "I'm sure Sakura isn't involved in anything dangerous."

"Yeah, you're right," Aya agreed. Even so, she couldn't help but worry about Sakura.

o o o o o o

Schuldig knocked on the door to Sakura's house. He wanted to make up for what had happened yesterday. He had brought a bouquet of red, white, and pink roses. He would've gotten some chocolate, but he didn't want to look like a sap.

An older woman with a slight resemblance to Sakura answered the door. "Yes, how may I help you?" she greeted.

"I'd like to see your daughter," Schuldig replied. "These flowers are for her. My name is Schuldig, and I'm a close friend."

"Oh, Sakura isn't here, but I'll be sure to give her the flowers," Sakura's mother said. She studied Schuldig carefully. He was impossible to read, and the older woman became slightly suspicious.

Schuldig sighed heavily. "Sure," he agreed, handing the woman the roses. "Tell Sakura I came over, all right?"

Sakura's mother was taken aback at the absence of an honorific, but she didn't say anything about it. "Okay," she said, her voice cool.

Schuldig decided to take a quick peek into the older woman's mind to see where Sakura was. The young girl was out with a friend, but this "friend" was a handsome red-haired man with pale skin.

"That foolish girl…" Schuldig mumbled, not loud enough for Sakura's mother to hear. "Well, thanks anyway," he said to Sakura's mother. "'Bye." He walked off and got back into his car, but didn't start it up just yet. He was too frustrated by how naïve Sakura was being.

"Sakura, you idiot, why won't you listen to me?" Schuldig asked aloud. "Why can't you just accept the truth about Ran?"

Once he had calmed down some, he started up his car. He would make Sakura see the truth somehow, and then she would be all his.

o o o o o o

Ken flipped through the television channels, but there was nothing worthwhile on to watch. Soon he just threw the remote control at the wall and laid his head back. _So bored, _he said to himself.

"Ken-kun?" Omi said as he walked into the room. "Can I talk to you?"

Ken quickly sat up. "Sure," he allowed. "What do you need?"

Omi sat down next to the brunette. "Do you think it's right for us to be in Tokyo again?" he wondered, his voice distressed.

"Probably not," Ken guessed. "This place holds too many painful memories." He briefly thought of his former friend Kase Kouichiro, and how he had been forced to kill Kase. "I mean, just look at Ran," he continued on. "He's fearful for the safety of his sister and Sakura, but now he's so close to them." He let out a light sigh. "He shouldn't have gone out. He's gonna be so hurt when he sees how everything has changed."

Omi drew his knees up to his small chest. "He went to see Aya-chan, didn't he?" he asked.

Ken shook his head. "No, he went to see Sakura, just like yesterday," he corrected. "He hasn't forgotten about her. He still thinks about her. In his sleep, he mumbles her name a lot."

Omi didn't seem very surprised. "I guess Ran-kun still has some feelings for Sakura-chan," he said. "But he'll be so disappointed if she's found someone else."

"She has," came Yoji's voice unexpectedly. It seemed he had been standing in the doorway the entire time, but neither Omi nor Ken saw him.

"She has?" Ken repeated. "Who is it, and how did you find out?"

"I saw Sakura at a nearby movie theater, and she was with-" Yoji hesitated, "-Schuldig," he finished uneasily.

"From Schwarz?" Omi exclaimed. "But why?"

"I don't know," Yoji admitted. "Although it's not what you'd expect. I don't think I would call their relationship 'romantic.' Schuldig seems to be highly possessive of Sakura. When she asked me about Ran, he grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the theater."

"He probably just wants to manipulate her!" Omi pointed out fearfully. "He might try to rape her!"

Yoji leaned against the wall. "I know," he agreed. "But if Sakura trusts him, there's not much we can do."

Ken laid his hand on Omi's shoulder. "Don't worry," the brown-haired florist requested. "Ran's with her. If there's anyone who can protect her, it's him."

Omi forced a small smile and nodded. "Of course," he said. "How could I forget?"

o o o o o o

Why was it that whenever Ran went somewhere with Sakura, there was always an awkward silence? He never knew what to say. It was especially true now, since it had been two years since he had last seen or spoken to Sakura.

He always thought Sakura was pretty, and not because she resembled his sister. However, she had matured over the last two years. Her face was no longer that of a cute girl's; it was now of a young woman's. Her hair was still cut short, but it hugged the sides of her face more. She had a more womanly figure, with slimmer curves and fuller breasts. Ran realized he was staring, so he quickly turned his face away.

Ran cleared his throat. "Sakura, I want to know how you've been," he began. "Did my absence affect you at all?"

"I've been fine," Sakura answered nervously. "I really missed you, but when I went to Paris to study, I didn't have time to think about you much. I'm glad I can see you again. Are you going to visit Aya-chan soon?"

Ran's violet eyes became clouded. "I don't know," he confessed. "I don't want to put either of you in danger, but I still want to see you. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it. There's this deep emptiness in my heart."

Sakura laid her hand on the redhead's. "Ran-san, it's all right," she comforted. "I understand, but I'm not scared. I came back to Japan in hopes that I would see you again."

Quite suddenly, Ran touched the earring in Sakura's left ear. "My sister gave you this, didn't she?" he guessed.

Sakura nodded. "She told me you had brought them for her birthday," she added. "When I told her you were wearing one, she gave me the other."

Ran's hand went up to the earring in his ear. "Does wearing that earring make you feel closer to me?" he wondered, but it was not a cruel question.

Sakura blushed slightly. "Yeah, I guess," she answered uneasily. "I was afraid I would forget you. I didn't want that to happen, so I wear this earring everyday."

Ran sighed heavily. "Sakura, I always pushed you away," he remembered. "I was so cold towards you. I said I didn't deserve to be loved, but I wonder if that really matters now."

Sakura knew where this conversation was heading. She had to come clean now. "Ran-san, I have to tell you something," she said gently, pulling her hand back. "You see, I've been going out with someone else for the past month."

Ran's gaze became cold. "Who?" he wanted to know, his voice emotionless.

"Me," answered a sly voice belonging to none other than Schuldig. He stepped up behind Sakura and wrapped his arms securely around her shoulders. His blue eyes held a devious look.

The anger and hurt in Ran's face was unmistakable. "Sakura, explain," he demanded firmly.

"Ran-san, it's not what you think!" Sakura said fretfully, her heart racing. "I'm not in a romantic relationship with him!"

"Oh, you're not?" Schuldig whispered mockingly into Sakura's ear. "Then why do you kiss and hug me?" He cupped her chin in his hand and lightly kissed her cheek. It was all done slowly, as if he wanted to infuriate Ran as much as possible. And it seemed to be working, for Ran was clenching the edge of the table tightly and his orchid eyes were filled with rage.

Sakura was not very pleased with Schuldig's actions, either. "You're the one who does all that!" she corrected, trying to push him away. "You only wanted me to give you a chance. You love me, but I never said I loved you."

"I've heard enough," Ran decided, standing up. "This was a mistake. I'm leaving now."

"Ran-san, wait!" Sakura pleaded, trying to hold back her tears.

Ran ignored Sakura as he walked out of the café. He had absolutely no intention of talking to her anymore. He was completely frustrated with her.

He halted suddenly, right in the middle of the sidewalk. He had no reason to be angry with Sakura. She hadn't meant to hurt him. She was only being honest. If she hadn't been, then he would have been hurt even more.

But why Schuldig? It didn't make any sense. Schuldig had used Sakura and had played with her feelings. But, she had said she was only giving him a chance and that she wasn't in love with him. Ran believed her there, but that wasn't the issue.

The issue was Schuldig. Since when was he in love with Sakura? Or was he only trying to manipulate her more? Ran just couldn't bring himself to trust Schuldig.

Ran let out a heavy sigh. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, he had been hurt by Sakura's honesty. Still, he was glad that Sakura told him the truth. He did have a right to know what was going on between her and Schuldig. Maybe sometime later he could go apologize for being so cold towards her.

o o o o o o

Schuldig grabbed Sakura's chin and forced her to look up at him. "Why didn't you listen to me?" he demanded to know. "Do you really think he has feelings for you?"

Sakura pushed Schuldig away. "You were wrong," she said, her voice rising. "Ran-san hasn't forgotten about me. What is wrong with you? Why are you acting so jealous?"

"You little-" Schuldig slapped Sakura hard across her face. He then roughly seized her arm and jerked her closer. "Listen, Ran still sees you as a substitute for his sister," he told the young girl through gritted teeth. "He only decided to come today out of total pity for you. It won't be long before he ditches you." He took Sakura's chin into his hand and held his face close to hers. "I just don't want him to do that to you," he said, almost whispering.

"Schuldig-san…" was all Sakura said. She turned her face away, and lightly touched the slap mark on her face.

Schuldig sighed heavily. Sakura didn't believe him; she was actually becoming frightened of him. "I don't mean to be jealous or possessive," Schuldig admitted, taking Sakura into his arms. He gently kissed her brown hair. "I want you to trust me, Sakura."

Sakura clutched Schuldig's arms slightly tighter. "I do trust you," she replied in a quiet voice.

She was lying. It was pointless to lie to Schuldig, since he always knew. But he didn't say anything. He just held Sakura in his arms for a little longer.

o o o o o o

Ran was once again stretched out over the couch. He had returned to the trailer much earlier than the other florists expected, but, much to his relief, no asked about how his day had went. He was very thankful for that. He still felt a bit hurt and angry, but not as much as he did earlier. He was actually trying to make an effort to understand Sakura's feelings.

Ken stepped into the room. "You went to see Sakura, didn't you?" he guessed, leaning against the doorframe. "Then there's something you should know."

"If it's about Schuldig, then I already know," Ran interrupted. "He showed up, and made the truth about his relationship with Sakura painfully clear."

"You can't believe that guy!" Ken reminded. "Yoji saw Sakura and Schuldig together at a movie theater, but to him it didn't seem like a romantic relationship."

"I know, I know," the redhead assured. "Sakura said herself she wasn't in love with Schuldig. She was just giving him a chance. It was what he said that made me angry."

Ran sighed heavily and sat up. "Sakura said she has been going out with Schuldig for over a month," he continued, his orchid eyes becoming clouded. "I've just ignored her these past two years. It wouldn't surprise me if she has fallen in love with Schuldig. At least he seems to acknowledge her."

Ken was completely taken aback by Ran's submissive attitude. He gripped the older man's shoulder and shook him vigorously. "Have you forgotten about Schuldig's nature?" the brunette exclaimed. "He's a manipulative bastard! What if he just wants to use or even rape Sakura?"

Ran's eyes turned sharp. "I don't trust him anymore than you do," he admitted. "But we can't do anything if-"

"-Sakura trusts him," Ken finished. "Still, we should make sure Schuldig doesn't try anything on her."

"Of course," Ran agreed. "I will make absolutely sure that Schuldig does not hurt Sakura in any way." His voice was low and cold, as well as dead serious. He would never, _ever_ allow Schuldig to even _think_ of hurting Sakura. He was prepared to do anything to ensure her safety, no matter what it was.

He would even go as far as to return to the life of an assassin.


	4. Hard Feelings

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Chapter 4: Hard Feelings  
It wasn't often Schuldig got so worked up over whatever that he had to take his frustration out on something. But today was an exception. He repeatedly threw his fists into a fiery red punching bag as he thought about the events of yesterday.

Sakura was beginning to mistrust him. He could see that clearly in her mind. She thought he had been cruel to Yoji and Ran. She thought he had been lying about them. She thought he was becoming jealous and possessive. She even thought he was becoming abusive.

"That stupid girl!" Schuldig screamed as he sent his right fist into the punching bag. The vivid redness of it made him think of Ran, and how the redhead held Sakura's heart in his hands. Schuldig hated the punching bag for that.

But beating it was better than beating Sakura.

Schuldig cursed himself for thinking such a thing. He was not becoming abusive. The last thing he wanted was to see Sakura hurt by anyone, least of all himself.

Then why did he slap her yesterday? Was it because he was angry? He had probably hurt her even more when he grabbed her arm forcibly. What a hypocrite Schuldig was. He hurt the girl he himself said he didn't want to see hurt.

Weiß mistrusted Schuldig. They believed he just wanted to use Sakura. He had vowed to prove them wrong. But look at what he was doing. He was becoming abusive.

It was probably the sadist in him. He did find pleasure in hurting and manipulating others. He smiled at the sight of someone screaming out in pain. He laughed whenever he caused someone's mind to snap.

Schuldig swung a kick into the punching bag. He didn't want to involve Sakura in his sadistic pleasures, but he would be lying to himself if he said he didn't enjoy it.

"What are you doing?" asked Brad Crawford, as he stepped into the workout room.

"Taking my frustration out on your punching bag," Schuldig answered as he threw a towel around his bare shoulders. He unscrewed the top of a water bottle and chugged down about half the water.

Crawford pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Become abusive yet?" he wondered, a cruel gleam in his golden eyes. "I foresaw that you slapped Miss Sakura and then yelled at her for daring to go see Fujimiya. Has all of that come to pass yet?" He was sneering as he said all that.

Schuldig slammed the water bottle down hard. "That's none of your business," he said through gritted teeth.

Crawford smirked quietly. He stepped up to Schuldig and laid his hand on Schuldig's shoulder. "You'll never win Miss Sakura's love," Crawford whispered into the other man's ear. "She's not the one for you."

"What are you getting at?" Schuldig demanded to know, his voice sharp and cold.

Crawford shrugged his slender shoulders. "I just wanted to warn you," he admitted. "You will emotionally and physically hurt Miss Sakura when you think she wants something when it's just you who wants it." Before he could see his words sink into Schuldig's brain, he left the room.

Schuldig said nothing. He just resumed beating the stuffing out of the punching bag.

o o o o o o

Crawford stepped out of the workout room and closed the door behind him. He could easily hear Schuldig thrashing the punching bag.

"How did it go?" asked Farfarello, who was leaning against the wall while playing with a small knife.

"He still thinks he loves Miss Sakura when all he really wants is her," Crawford told the Irishman. "I warned him about my prediction."

Farfarello laughed insanely. "It wouldn't be a bad thing if Schuldig does rape that girl," he said. "This world is corrupt, after all."

Crawford chuckled lightly. "He won't actually rape her, but he'll get close," he added. "He'll convince himself that she wants to have sex with him, but it's just him that wants it."

"That'll be difficult with Sakura's thoughts invading his mind," Naoe Nagi pointed out, appearing from around the corner.

"Are you feeling sympathy for Schuldig?" Farfarello wondered, his voice mocking. "Does this remind you of that Schreient girl?"

Nagi's only response was to blast Farfarello into the wall with his telekinesis.

"Calm down, Nagi," Crawford ordered patiently. "Farfarello has a point. Are you only thinking of Tot?"

"I just think that you're getting jealous," Nagi corrected coldly. With that, he walked away, leaving the American alone with Farfarello.

"Nagi has a point, too," Farfarello noticed, licking his small knife.

"Shut up," Crawford commanded harshly. His fist was clenched up tightly. He had not told Schuldig about his prediction out of spite or jealousy. He had other, more secretive reasons for doing that, reasons he didn't want to admit to himself.

o o o o o o

Ran inhaled a deep breath and knocked on the door to Sakura's house. He had originally planned to apologize yesterday, but he had been much too tried. But now, he was ready to apologize to Sakura.

Sakura's mother answered the door. "Oh it's you," she greeted. "Fujimiya, right?"

"Yes," Ran confirmed. "I want to see your daughter. Is she here?"

"Yes, she is, but may I talk to you first?" her mother requested.

Ran nodded, and followed the older woman into the living room. They sat down on opposite chairs.

"So, what do you need?" Ran asked, breaking the short-lived silence.

Sakura's mother sighed. "Do you know of a man named Schuldig?" she wanted to know. "He came over yesterday, wanting to see Sakura. He even had a bouquet of roses."

Ran twitched uncomfortably. "I know him, but we don't have a good history together," he warned, narrowing his pale violet eyes.

"I need to know what his relationship is with Sakura," Sakura's mother admitted. "He makes me uncomfortable. I can't seem to trust him. I'm worried about Sakura."

"This is something you really should ask your daughter about," Ran pointed out coolly. "How can you trust me any more than Schuldig?"

"I don't know," the older woman confessed. "I just feel more comfortable around you."

"Okay then," Ran replied, not quite sure how that was possible. "I really don't know much about Schuldig, but I do know that he's not from Japan. Like I said before, we're not exactly 'friends.' To me, he's a manipulative sadist who enjoys using others for his own selfish pleasures."

Sakura's mother gasped as her hand went up to her face. "What does he want with Sakura?" she asked, her voice filled with worry. "Is he hurting her?"

At this point, Sakura was coming down the stairs. As soon as she saw Ran with her mother, she halted and stepped back out of sight. She had missed the first part of the conversation, but she determined to catch every word of the second half.

"I was told it wasn't a romantic relationship," Ran continued. "Sakura is only giving Schuldig a chance, so she's been going out with him for about a month. He claims he loves Sakura, but I don't believe him. Knowing Schuldig, I think he just wants to manipulate her."

Sakura couldn't remain anonymous anymore, not with Ran insulting Schuldig like that. "How would you know all that?!" she yelled to the surprised redhead. "Why do you think Schuldig-san just wants to hurt me?!"

Ran got over his surprise quickly. "Don't you remember what he did to you?" he countered, his low voice rising. "You of all people should know he's a manipulative fiend!"

"You don't know Schuldig-san at all!" Sakura screamed, her anger more obvious now. "He doesn't want to use or control me. What about you? You still see me as a substitute for your sister. But now that she's awake, you're just gonna forget about me, aren't you?" Her breathing had become quite heavy.

"I-" Ran started, but his throat closed up before he could go on. Sakura's words had hit him harder than a sludge hammer. Even if he could speak, he wouldn't have been able to find the words to say.

"Schuldig-san was right…" Sakura realized, taking a few steps backwards. "You would just end up hurting me…" She dashed up the stairs and Ran heard a door slam.

To say Ran was frustrated would have been an understatement. "I need to be leaving now," he announced stoically.

"Oh, I hope you're not mad at Sakura," her mother said. "I don't know what's gotten into her lately."

"Don't worry, it's not Sakura I'm mad at," Ran reassured as he stood up. "I'm mad at myself. I shouldn't have said all that stuff about Schuldig. I had no right to." He let out a heavy sigh. "Tell Sakura I'm sorry for what happened both yesterday and today."

"Sure," the older woman agreed, nodding her head.

Ran said nothing in reply. He left the house through the front door and walked down the sidewalk. He began cursing himself. He had never wanted to hurt Sakura, but that was all he ever did. He had pushed her away and then had cut her out of his life for two years. Sakura would never forgive him, not after all that he had done.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry…" Ran whispered quietly. He tried to focus only on walking and not what Sakura had said.

o o o o o o

"Sakura, may I talk to you?" Sakura's mother wondered as she stepped into her daughter's room.

"No," Sakura refused curtly, not even bothering to look up. She was lying in her bed with her face buried in the fluffy pillow.

Her mother sat down on the edge of the bed. "I want to ask you about Schuldig-san," she said, gently touching Sakura's shoulder.

"Ran-san was completely wrong about him," Sakura stated firmly. "Schuldig-san is a good person. He's a very close friend. He doesn't want to use me."

"Then why didn't you tell me about him?" her mother asked kindly. "Fujimiya-san told me you've been going out with him for a month. I'm not quite comfortable with that. He is some years older than you."

The young girl sat up. Her cherry blossom eyes were slightly blood-shot. "I'm sorry," she apologized, rubbing her eyes with her arm. "It's not really a romantic relationship. Schuldig-san loves me, but I don't know how I feel about him. You're not mad, are you?"

Sakura's mother shook her head. "Of course not," she reassured. "But I am your mother, so you should've told me." A soft smile came upon her lips. "Schuldig-san and Fujimiya-san must be very close friends, if they don't feel the need to put an honorific at the end of your name."

Sakura nodded, blushing faintly. "Yeah, they are," she confirmed. "I just wish they could get along."

Sakura's mother laid her hand on her daughter's brown hair. "Oh, and Fujimiya-san says he's sorry for what happened yesterday and today," she added.

"That's nice of him," Sakura commented. "But he's not entirely to blame. Schuldig-san and I hold some fault, too. I should apologize myself sometime." Although she wondered if it was too late to make up to Ran for everything that had happened since they had come back to Tokyo.

o o o o o o

"Hey, would you pretty girls like to buy some flowers?" Yoji called out to a small group of teenage girls. The trailer was open for business, and he, Ken, and Omi were selling flowers. However, Ran was still out somewhere.

"Oh, sure!" the girls agreed excitedly, running over to Yoji. He sold them several sunflowers, and when they walked off, he heard them talking about his good looks. It made Yoji smile.

"Flirting again, Yoji-kun?" Omi guessed, walking over to Yoji.

"Aw, you make it sound like a bad thing," Yoji replied jokingly.

Omi chuckled. "But then those girls might get the wrong idea."

"Omi, I'm insulted! Do I really seem like the type to take advantage of a bunch of underage girls?"

"Of course not. You prefer girls over eighteen."

The two started laughing. They were actually having a good day. They weren't as worried about Sakura as they had been. Ran had sworn he would protect her.

Seeing Yoji and Omi happy made Ken happy. For some time they had been depressed and moody, especially Yoji. It was nice to see them back to their old selves. After all, they weren't assassins anymore.

If only it was so simple for Ken. He knew that he should've been thankful, but he wasn't. His hands still felt bloodstained, and he had washed them to the point were the skin would be torn off if he continued to do so. Somehow, he didn't want this peaceful life. Murderers such as himself didn't deserve such things. The sadistic part of his mind missed the life of the assassin.

Soon Ken saw Ran walked towards the trailer. Ken was about to give Ran a warm welcome, but thought better of it when he saw how angry Ran seemed. But Ken couldn't _not_ say anything, either. "Ran, what's wrong?" he asked as he walked over to Ran.

"Nothing," Ran answered coldly as he pushed Ken out of his way. "I'm fine." He stormed into the trailer and slammed the door behind him.

In frustration, Ken kicked the ground. Nothing good could last forever, not even something as simple as a nice day. Something always had to ruin it for Ken.

o o o o o o

Schuldig pulled his red car up in front of the Kitty in the House. He wanted to ask Sakura something as well as to see how she was doing. It would've been easier to just go to her house, but he could clearly see that her mother wasn't all that trusting of him. He stepped out of his car and walked into the flower shop. The only person he saw was Aya.

"Hello, what do you need?" Aya cheerfully welcomed Schuldig. "Hey, you're Sakura-chan's friend, aren't you?" she added once she realized who Schuldig was.

"Yeah, I am," Schuldig confirmed. "I take it she isn't here right now?"

Aya shook her head. "Should I tell her you came over?" she asked.

Schuldig sighed. "Nah, don't bother," he decided. "I'll go see if she's at home." He turned around to leave, but then he found himself face-to-face with Sakura.

"Oh, hi Schuldig-san," Sakura greeted, mildly surprised.

"Sakura, I was just looking for you," Schuldig told her. "I was just wondering if you wanted to go to a dance club with me." He winked slyly. "It'll be fun."

"Well, uh…" Sakura blushed madly.

"It's not _that_ type of club," Schuldig rectified, seeing what the girl was thinking. "It's a club for teenagers."

Sakura felt very silly. "Oh," she replied dumbly. "Well, of course I would like to go with you."

Schuldig smiled. "I'll pick you up at six," he promised. He bent over and lightly kissed Sakura's cheek. "See you then." He stepped past the young girl and left the flower shop.

Aya gently laid her hands on Sakura's shoulders from behind. "He seemed friendly," the blue-haired girl noticed, grinning teasingly. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Sakura blushed even more. "No, no," he isn't!" she corrected hastily. "He's just a really close friend!"

"Sakura-chan…" Aya replied. Now that she had met Schuldig, she wasn't as worried about her brown-haired friend. Schuldig seemed to be really nice to Sakura, and it didn't appear that he had any intention of hurting her. Still, Aya had this uncomfortable feeling in her gut about Schuldig that she couldn't quite explain.


	5. Beat Of Love

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Disclaimer: I don't own the songs "Beat of the Rising Sun" by Dave Rodgers or "Fly to Me to the Moon & Back" by The Spiders From Mars. (Need to mention that since I'm borrowing a few lyrics for this chapter.) Nor do I own the songs "Night & Day" by Mr. Groove (used in Chapter 6) or "Remember Me" by Leslie Parrish (used in Chapter 7). And I'm only borrowing the lyrics for certain parts. None of the chapters are songfics.

Chapter 5: Beat Of Love  
Sakura hummed softly to herself as she brushed her hair. She wanted to look nice for Schuldig today. She was dressed in a sleeveless red shirt with a turtleneck collar and a black skirt that rose a few inches above her knees. The noon sun shone through the window of her bedroom brightly enough that she didn't need to have any artificial lights on.

She reached out and touched her mirror. She remembered how Schuldig had slapped her back at the café. She thought she would be mad at him, but she wasn't. Maybe it was because she understood why he had been angry. Still, that didn't mean she welcomed him hurting her.

She laid her head back. It was Ran she was mad at. She still hadn't forgiven him for what he had said about Schuldig. However, she also felt guilty about what she had said. She had probably hurt Ran even more. In fact, she almost half-believed he had left Tokyo because of that. But she hoped that wasn't true. She still wanted to see him some more.

"Ran-san…" Sakura whispered quietly, touching the golden rod in her left ear. She turned her head, and saw someone standing outside her window on the balcony.

The man was tall and slender, and he was dressed in a creamy-white business suit. He had neatly combed dark hair and golden eyes concealed behind thin-rimmed glasses. He was none other than Brad Crawford of Schwarz.

"Well, aren't you going to let me in?" Crawford requested, smirking.

Sakura's heart was racing. What was Crawford doing here? Her hands became sweaty as she clutched her brush tighter. She wondered if she should let Crawford inside. She could always scream if he tried to hurt her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to both Sakura and Crawford, the young girl stood up and unlocked the window to open it for him.

"Took you long enough," Crawford snapped as he walked into the bedroom.

Sakura backed as far away as she could from Crawford. "W-What do you want?" she stuttered nervously, her back up against the wall.

Crawford stepped up to Sakura and leaned over her. "Tell me, what do you think of Schuldig?" he wondered, a cruel shine in his eyes.

"Well, he's sweet to me, and he doesn't seem like a bad person," Sakura answered, her voice shaky.

Crawford grinned wickedly. "I agree with you about the latter, but the former…?" His body crushed against Sakura's as he seized her throat. His grip was loose enough for her to breathe normally, but firm enough to force her to look up at him. "Is that what you really believe?" he replied heatedly.

Sakura was growing scared. "Get away from me!" she ordered harshly, trying to push Crawford away from her.

Crawford tightened his grip on Sakura's throat, completely cutting off her air. "Scream, and I'll kill you," he warned, dead serious. "Understand?"

Sakura nodded, unable to speak. Her face was appearing a bit colorless.

Crawford loosened his grip only slightly. "You think I'm hurting you now?" he assumed. "This is nothing compared to what Schuldig will do. He's only going to hurt you."

"How would you know?" Sakura forced out, her lungs burning. "You're not a telepath like Schuldig-san!"

Crawford shoved Sakura harder against the wall as he continued to squeeze her throat. "Remember, I'm the one who can see glimpses of the future," he hissed into Sakura's ear.

Sakura struggled to breathe as she clawed at the hand that was crushing her windpipe. Crawford had completely lost his cool; he now appeared angry and infuriated as he persisted on choking Sakura.

Finally Crawford just threw Sakura to the floor. With his hand still clutching her neck, he bent over her and held his face close to hers. "Listen, I couldn't care less about you," he began, his voice low and harsh. "If only you would be hurt, then I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't give it a second thought if Schuldig raped you. This is your last warning. Stay away from Schuldig." He roughly released Sakura's throat and backed away.

"You…" Sakura hissed, trying to get back on her feet. She massaged her throat as she breathed heavily.

"You won't listen to me?" Crawford assumed mockingly. "Well, don't blame me when you're hurt by Schuldig." With that, he let himself out and closed the window behind him.

"Jerk!" Sakura screamed as she pulled the window shades shut. She was clenching them so tightly that her hands began to hurt. She slid down to her knees as she cursed herself. She didn't want to believe Crawford, but in the farthest reaches of her mind, a part of her did believe him.

o o o o o o

"Farfarello, what are you doing?" Schuldig asked as he stepped into the main room. It was large, but quite empty. On one side was a long, worn couch, and on the other side was an old television set. Besides that, the room seemed like it would be used for storage.

Farfarello was lying on the couch. He was cleaning the thin knife hidden in his glove by licking it. "Hurting God," he answered vaguely, not bothering to look up at Schuldig. "That's what you expect me to say. You can be rather narrow-minded sometime."

"By licking a knife?" Schuldig assumed, ignoring Farfarello's insult. "That's just pathetic. But, I guess your thoughts are annoying enough. By the way, do you know where Crawford is?"

Farfarello shrugged his muscular shoulders. "Don't know," he admitted, more interested in his knife.

Schuldig groaned. Farfarello was lying, but the idea of going through all his insane thoughts just to get the truth nearly gave Schuldig a headache. "I know you're lying, so just tell me the truth," Schuldig ordered firmly.

"Why don't you read my mind?" Farfarello countered, smiling crazily. "Don't thoughts taste like honey?"

"Not yours," Schuldig corrected, growing more frustrated. "You're just some insane freak way too obsessed with hurting God!"

Farfarello retracted his knife back into his fingerless glove. "You really are narrow-minded. I have my reasons for hating God, just as you have your reasons for loving that Sakura girl," he explained, his voice impassive. "God killed my family, and Sakura is special to you."

Schuldig sighed. Farfarello was just being spiteful, he noticed. Still, Sakura was special to him. Just not in the way Farfarello was thinking. "Sometimes, you really do scare me," Schuldig pointed out.

"You're not the first to say that," Farfarello reminded stoically.

Schuldig looked up at the clock. It was almost six. He would have to leave now if he wanted to pick Sakura up on time. "If Crawford asks where I went, tell him he should've predicted it," Schuldig requested.

"Sure," Farfarello agreed indifferently.

Schuldig halted at the door. "Hey Farfarello, maybe in a few days I could treat you with a trip to a nearby church," he said, a smirk forming on his lips. "I hear the priest is _passionately_ devoted to God."

"I'd like that," Farfarello accepted, grinning crazily. "It sounds _fun_."

"I'm sure it would be." Without another word, Schuldig had left the room.

Farfarello looked to where Schuldig had been standing, and then grinned evilly. Schuldig was acting kind of like Nagi. But, unlike Nagi, Schuldig had a sadistic gleam in his blue eyes. Sakura wouldn't have to end up with the same fate as Tot, Farfarello thought. Schuldig already had this going the way Crawford had predicted. Schuldig would deal with this "problem" by himself.

o o o o o o

Omi knocked on the door to Ran's room. "Ran-kun, are you hungry?" he asked in a cheerful voice. "I brought you some rice balls."

"Go away," was Ran's curt reply.

"C'mon, you've been in your room all morning!" Omi urged. "You have to eat something!"

"Leave him alone, Omi," Ken ordered. "He's just acting like a spoiled brat."

Omi looked down at the tray of rice balls he was holding. "But I'm worried about him…" he confessed.

Ken laid his hand on Omi's shoulder. "Don't be worried," he suggested gently. "Ran's just worked up over Schuldig and Sakura. He'll get over it."

Omi sighed and looked away. "If you say so," he replied. He turned around and went back towards the main section of the trailer.

"Yeah, if I say so," Ken repeated softly, leaning against the wall. He also let out a heavy sigh. While he would never admit it, he was probably the most worried about Ran.

Ran wasn't just "worked up" over Schuldig and Sakura. The truth was that it was eating him up from the inside. Although it was quite possible that he himself did not realize this, Ran held strong feelings towards Sakura. Those were what were hurting him the most.

"Ran…" Ken whispered softly. He desired nothing more right now than to help Ran. What hurt Ken was that Ran didn't accept his help.

o o o o o o

"C'mon Sakura, don't be shy," Schuldig requested as he and Sakura stepped out of his car. "We're here to have fun." The two were in the small parking lot of a nearby dance club.

"Of course," Sakura agreed, smiling uneasily. Schuldig had noticed that her thoughts were more random than usual, as if she was trying to hide something.

Schuldig took Sakura's hand into his and kissed her cheek. "Relax," Schuldig suggested calmly. "You're giving me a headache with all those random thoughts."

Schuldig led Sakura down the stairs to the entrance of the dance club. The inside was quite lively. People were dancing wildly as loud music played and bright lights flashed. There was a small section for refreshments to the far left.

"I'll get drinks," Schuldig decided. "Go find a table for us."

"Sure," Sakura agreed. She spotted an empty table in the corner and went for it.

Schuldig sighed. Sakura's random, Farfarello-like thoughts were making him feel uncomfortable. He stepped over to the refreshment counter and ordered two iced teas. Once he had the drinks, he went over to join Sakura at the empty table.

"Thanks," Sakura said, accepting the iced tea.

Schuldig sat down across from Sakura. "Sakura, I need to talk to you," he said. "Through all your random thoughts, I can see something about Crawford. Tell me, what did he do to you?"

Sakura tightened her grip on the glass. She remained silent.

"Sakura, if you don't tell me, I'll just look into your thoughts," Schuldig threatened. "I don't care if they give me a headache."

Sakura turned her face away. "He came to see me earlier," she began nervously, her pink eyes clouded. "He asked about what I thought of you. I told him that you weren't a bad person. Then he said that you really didn't love me, and that you just wanted to rape me." She had kept some things hidden, but she did convey the important stuff.

To Sakura's surprise, Schuldig just laughed. "That sounds like Crawford all right," he noticed. "Maybe he just thinks this is like what happened with Nagi and Tot. But, our relationship is different. This isn't puppy-love. I should remember to tell Crawford that, but he probably wouldn't understand."

"Hey, you wouldn't abandon your friends because of me, will you?" Sakura wondered, her voice shaky.

_"Was?"_ Schuldig exclaimed, using the German word for _what_. "I would never abandon Schwarz! I'm not that stricken with love. I just hope I can find balance between you and them. But anyway, we didn't come here to talk! C'mon, let's dance!" He took Sakura's hand and led her to the dance floor.

The current song was "Beat of the Rising Sun" by Dave Rodgers. It had a fast beat with a touch of rock. The singer had an energetic voice with a slight Italian accent. Schuldig found this song easy to dance to; however, Sakura didn't share his enthusiasm.

_"I wanna stay all the night…"_

Schuldig moved his body to the beat of the song with ease. "What's wrong?" he asked Sakura. "Dance! This is a nice song!"

_"I wanna hold you tonight…"_

"Uh, okay," Sakura agreed reluctantly. She tried to copy Schuldig's moves as best she could.

_"Oh baby, let me stay now…"_

Sakura was getting the hang of this song. True, she wasn't dancing as well as Schuldig, but he was still impressed. Her rhythm was slightly off, but compared to how she had been doing, it was hardly noticeable.

_"I'm all right, babe…"_

"Now you're getting good!" Schuldig said, grinning broadly. Suddenly, he pulled Sakura into his arms. "Now dance with me," he requested, his smile now crafty.

_"Because you want it…"_

Schuldig's dance was now more energetic than the singer's voice. He swung Sakura around and made her dizzy, but she didn't care. She was having so much fun. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much.

_"Ready to dance…"_

"You're so lively," Schuldig told Sakura. "I can't imagine what kind of tiger you'd be."

Sakura breathed heavily. "This is fun," she said breathlessly. "I wanna dance some more!"

_"Beat of the rising sun, beat of the rising sun…"_

Schuldig and Sakura continued to dance fervently until the song's end. By then, they were exhausted and out of breath. They got some more cold drinks and sat down at their table. For a few minutes, they sipped their drinks in silence. Soon Schuldig spoke.

"You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" he assumed, laying his hand on Sakura's. "Aren't you glad you came with me?"

Sakura nodded. "Of course!" she confirmed happily.

Schuldig searched Sakura's feelings. She wasn't lying at all. She was being completely honest. That made him extremely pleased.

Another song had begun playing. This time it was "Fly to Me to the Moon & Back" by The Spiders From Mars. Like the last song, this one had a quick beat, but it also had more of a "nightly" feel. Schuldig took Sakura's hand and they headed back to the dance floor.

_"I wanna share this beautiful moment…"_

This was a slower song than the first, so Sakura found it easier to dance with Schuldig. He was less active, and much gentler.

Schuldig pulled the young girl closer and touched her face. "Let's do as the song says, shall we?" he suggested playfully.

_"Help me, tell me how you feel tonight…"_

Sakura blushed slightly. She didn't mind it when Schuldig was being playful. Sure, sometimes it was suggestive, but it was also cute in a weird way.

_"Take a chance, boy…"_

They started dancing a little faster while keeping a steady pace. Sakura was still a bit exhausted from the last song, and she didn't want to push herself.

_"We can be lovers again…"_

Sometimes, Schuldig's emotions depended on the thoughts invading his mind. This was because he could barely tell which thoughts were his. Right now, he felt the exact same happiness Sakura did. And he liked that. He wanted to share _everything_ with her.

_"Just find me…"_

Sakura rested her head against Schuldig's chest as he wrapped his arms around her back. This felt so natural to her. Schuldig was providing her with peace and tranquility, things that she had always believed Ran would be the one to give her.

_"Come over me and forget your misery…"_

Schuldig smirked as he read Sakura's mind. She was beginning to fall in love with him, just like he wanted.


	6. Night & Day

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

A/N: Okay, lengthy explanation time. The singer of "Night & Day," Mr. Groove (real name is Tomas Martin; also known as Mega NRG Man), is not a native speaker of English. (Hey, it's eurobeat. It comes from Italy, but it's released in Japan. But since most eurobeat singers don't know Japanese, they sing in English, which is like a second language to Japanese people. Besides, English is kind of like a worldwide language.) So anyway, Martin's English is not perfect. Twice in the song, he's supposed to be saying, "I've been thinking too much about what you said," or something, but he slurs it up to the point where he sounds like he's saying, "I've been too much abusive." And that was the inspiration for most of this story. So enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 6: Night & Day  
_"Hi Nagi-kun! Me and Rabbi-chan are having a great time with New Mama and New Papa. I even have a new sister to play with. Her name is Yasashii, and she's just like Schön! I really miss you, and so does Rabbi-chan. Come visit us soon!"_

Nagi smiled as he read through Tot's e-mail. Even when she wasn't here, she could still spread her cheerfulness.

Two years ago, Nagi had arranged for Tot to live with a foster family. They e-mailed each other often, but rarely saw each other. Nagi didn't want to risk the rest of Schwarz finding out about this. However, whenever the young boy had a chance, he slipped away to go see Tot.

Nagi sighed as he leaned his head back. Schuldig probably suspected something, but for some odd reason he hadn't said anything. Maybe it was the influence of his love for Sakura. Nagi then heard the door opening, so he quickly shut down the computer.

"Nagi, are you in here?" Crawford asked, stepping into the starry-vortex room.

"Yes," Nagi answered stoically.

Crawford walked over to the young boy and rested his elbow on the computer chair. "You've been talking to that Tot girl, haven't you?" he assumed, his voice cold.

"Took you long enough to notice," Nagi snapped back.

Crawford had been expecting a response like that. "You know, you're rubbing off on Schuldig," he told Nagi. "But the problem is that love is more dangerous for him. He can't fully understand his emotions. He may be mistaking lust for love."

"You still think Schuldig is going to rape Sakura?" Nagi guessed coolly. "You warned them of your prediction, didn't you?"

"Of course," Crawford confirmed. "But I never said anything about rape."

Nagi turned the chair around to face Crawford. "Maybe you're wrong," the boy said. "Maybe their relationship _can_ work. Maybe you're just too jealous to notice."

Crawford's hand balled up into a fist. "What does he see in that girl?" he mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Maybe he just sees her," Nagi explained, his dark blue eyes staring straight through Crawford's glasses. "That's how I see Tot, and isn't that how you see Schuldig?"

Crawford turned his golden eyes away. "Stop trying to understand my feelings," he ordered firmly. "You're just some emotionless little brat." With that, he left the starry room.

"How can I understand your feelings, when you can't even understand them?" Nagi whispered softly. "Besides, I don't have to understand your feelings to know that you just don't want to see Schuldig hurt." He turned the computer back on so he could type up his reply to Tot.

o o o o o o

The day raced into the evening as fast as Schuldig and Sakura were dancing. It was past eight, but they still had some energy left. Sakura hadn't expected to stay this long, so she had called her mother and said that she would be home around nine or ten. They now sat at a small booth near the back of the club, away from the crowds.

Schuldig had gotten a small headache from all the thoughts invading his mind. However, as long as Sakura's thoughts were among them, he didn't care. Just the idea that she may be falling in love with him filled him with excitement.

"Schuldig-san, another song is playing," Sakura informed Schuldig. "Do you want to dance?"

"Nah, I think I'll sit this one out," Schuldig decided, sliding closer to Sakura. He laid his head on her shoulder. "I'll just rest against you."

Sakura wrapped her arm around Schuldig's shoulder and gently touched his face. "That's fine with me," she allowed, her voice soft. A small smile came upon her lips.

_"I don't know what I'm doing…"_

The song was "Night & Day" by Mr. Groove. It was fast with a steady beat. However, unlike most of the other songs, his one had depressing (if slightly cheesy) lyrics, and a darker feel.

_"Maybe it's time to let me go…"_

Schuldig didn't mind that, though. He kind of liked the song, but he was glad he decided not to dance. It would've been quite difficult to dance to this song.

_"I've been too much abusive…"_

Schuldig was in disbelief of what he had just heard. That was not what the singer had said. It had actually been something like "I've been thinking too much about what you said."

_"That our love will never die…"_

It was then Schuldig saw the thoughts hidden in the back of Sakura's mind. While she trusted him, she was still afraid he would become abusive. He was, after all, highly possessive at times. And, even further back, she even half-believed Crawford's prediction of Schuldig raping her. So, exactly how was she falling in love with him? Or had Schuldig convinced himself of that only to fill the emptiness in his heart?

_"You had so many reasons to go away…"_

No, Sakura _was_ falling in love with him. It hadn't quite happened yet, but it would. Schuldig would make absolute sure of that.

_"You couldn't do it…"_

Those stupid lyrics… Schuldig hated them. They did not reflect his feelings at all. He had merely misheard a line.

_"I will always forgive you…"_

Then why was it affecting him so?

Schuldig cuddled closer to Sakura as he dived deeper into her thoughts. Occasionally he came across a few that comforted him. He went through some happy childhood memories while trying to avoid the painful ones. Sakura had a pleasant childhood, Schuldig noticed. Much unlike his.

Soon Schuldig came across Sakura's feelings for Ran. However, he was actually quite pleased. Those feelings were becoming weaker as the ones for Schuldig were growing stronger. Sakura really was falling in love with him. She just needed a little "push."

_"I've been too much abusive…"_

That line again. Why did Schuldig keep mishearing it? It was beginning to annoy him. To get his mind off it, he started kissing Sakura. If there was one thing he liked more than manipulating others, it was tasting Sakura's sweet lips.

_"Night and day I feel empty and lonely…"_

Schuldig gripped Sakura's shoulders tightly and pulled her closer…

_"You get me out of this, give me one kiss…"_

His kissing became more fervent, if not a bit rough…

_"Night and day I am living so sadly…"_

This was type of excitement he wanted. This passion, this affection…

_"I stand on my knees, give me one, please…"_

Schuldig continued to kiss Sakura until the song was over. He didn't care how many people were staring. His one and only thought was of kissing Sakura like this. There was no hesitation or regret in his mind.

Once the song ended, Schuldig took his lips off Sakura's. She had been quite surprised by his sudden kissing. She was scared by how rough he had been. It almost seemed like he was angry about something. "What's wrong, Schuldig-san?" she dared to ask.

"Nothing," Schuldig assured stoically. "I just didn't like the song." He pulled himself off Sakura and sat a few inches away from her. He laid his head back and sighed heavily. Every time he tried being affectionate towards Sakura, he usually ended up being too rough.

And now other people were staring. Normally he wouldn't have cared, but it was their thoughts that bothered him. They thought that his relationship with Sakura was that of pimp and whore. They thought that Schuldig was much too old for the young girl. They thought that Sakura was just some shallow slut only interested in money.

Sakura slid her hand over Schuldig's. "Schuldig-san, are you sure nothing's wrong?" she wondered, her voice soft. "You look angry about something."

Schuldig smiled wickedly. "These people seem to think that a relationship between a twenty-four year-old man and a seventeen-year-old girl can't be anything but sexual," he noticed, mockery in his voice. He clenched Sakura's hand and stood up. "C'mon, let's go someplace where there _aren't_ narrow-minded idiots," he added loudly. Several people shifted uncomfortably.

Sakura also got on her feet. "Uh, okay," she agreed, a bit nervous.

Schuldig's grin became wider. He had the perfect idea that would result in Sakura falling in love with him. Suddenly, he bent over and kissed her on the mouth. "I love you, _Geliebte_," he said once more, this time using the German word for _lover_. He wrapped his arm around the back of the young girl's waist and led her out of the dance club.

o o o o o o

Ran finally came out of his room, but he was still very aloof. He ate a few of Omi's riceballs, and then he went to watch some TV. He had not said anything to the other three florists.

Yoji was definitely not a fan of Ran's sulkiness. "Is he still worked up over Sakura?" he wondered aloud. "God, why can't he get over her? She's gotten over him."

"Is it really that easy?" Ken challenged in a sharp tone. "Have you already gotten over Neu?"

Yoji's body tightened as he leaned against the wall. "It's been two years!" he reminded, his anger rising. "Or course I have! But what about you? Have you gotten over that motorcycle chick? Or what about that prostitute lady?"

Ken's hand balled up into a fist. He wasn't going to dignify that with a response.

Omi sighed heavily. Ran's bad mood was rubbing off on Yoji and Ken. The two of them argued often lately. Omi hated it.

He looked over to the other room, where Ran was sitting on the couch. Ran wore a most stoic expression on his face. Not once today had he showed any emotion whatsoever.

Suddenly Ran stood up and walked over to his co-workers. He looked straight at the three former members of Weiß, his pale eyes void of all feeling. It was difficult to predict what he would say or do.

Ran inhaled a deep breath. "We're leaving Tokyo, first thing tomorrow," he announced.

o o o o o o

Sakura wondered where Schuldig was taking her. It sure wasn't home, even though it was past nine and her mother would be expecting her. He had merely said it was a "surprise."

Sakura looked out the window of Schuldig's car. The rushing lights of the city were colorful, and they illuminated the darkness of the night. It created a kind of "mysterious" feeling.

Sakura glanced over at Schuldig. He was grinning wickedly, but there was anger and confusion behind his icy blue eyes. He was scaring Sakura. She tried her hardest to hide her fright, but a bit of it still leaked through.

Why was Schuldig acting like this? Was he still angry about what those people had thought of his relationship with her? Or was it because of that song?

"Sakura, relax," Schuldig requested calmly. "I'm not angry about anything. I just want to take you somewhere."

"Where?" Sakura wanted to know. "I should be home now. My mom's gonna be worried about me!"

Schuldig chuckled. "Don't worry," he said, somewhat amused. "I'll talk to your mother. She'll understand."

"So, tell me what you want," Sakura ordered firmly.

Schuldig's smirk became wider. "I want to spend tonight with you," he admitted slyly.

"What?" Sakura exclaimed, her heart racing its fastest. "You don't mean-"

"Shush," Schuldig interrupted, his voice quiet. "You'll ruin everything. I won't hurt you. I just want to prove something to you, _Geliebte_."

That word again. Sakura had no idea what it meant, but she knew it was German. It was in the letter Schuldig had sent her when she had returned to Tokyo.

Schuldig laid his hand on Sakura's thigh. "I thought you trusted me," he said playfully. "Your anxiety is making me uncomfortable."

"I do trust you," Sakura corrected meekly. "But I just want to know what you meant by wanting to spend tonight with me."

Schuldig pulled his hand back. "I guess I can't keep it from you any longer," he noticed. "All right, I'll come clean. I rented this room at this luxury hotel. We are going to spend the night there. Just you and me. We won't have sex or anything. I just want to prove to Crawford and everyone else that my love for you is sincere."

Sakura tugged at her skirt nervously. While she appreciated knowing what Schuldig was planning, she was still worried. He was taking her someplace where they could be alone, and it was somewhat against her will. She wondered if that could be considered as "rape"…

After half an hour had passed, Schuldig and Sakura reached the hotel. It was several stories tall, with a well cared for terrace. Schuldig pulled his car up into the parking lot and stopped somewhere near the main entrance. He and Sakura stepped out and he then took her hand into his.

"You're being too paranoid," Schuldig told Sakura. "We're just going to spend the night together. No sex. Unless, of course, you want it…?"

"No, no, that's all right!" Sakura replied, blushing madly. "I don't want any!"

Schuldig smiled softly. "If you say so," he teased playfully. "But I could have made you feel real good." His voice had become seductive.

Sakura said nothing in reply. Even if he was only joking, the idea of having sex with Schuldig made her feel quite uncomfortable.

They entered the hotel and made their way to the elevator. They stepped into it and Schuldig pressed the "8F" button. The elevator began to ascend upward.

As they rode the elevator, Sakura pondered her feelings for Schuldig. He was sweet and charming towards her, and quite handsome. But he was also cruel and manipulative, and sometimes he acted jealous and possessive. He was a cold-blooded murderer. Still, he didn't seem like such an evil person now. Without thinking, Sakura leaned against Schuldig's shoulder. In response, he wrapped his arm around the back of her waist.

The elevator soon stopped and opened up. Schuldig and Sakura stepped out and he led her down the hallway to room 841. He pulled out a card key from his pocket and unlocked the door. He opened it and escorted Sakura inside.

The hotel room was very luxurious. The light blue carpeting was quite soft and the walls were painted a pale rose color. To the right was a tall dresser made from polished wood and next to it was the doorway to the bathroom. On the back wall was a window with white transparent curtains with lacy edges. To the left was a king-sized bed. A dark blue comforter that was crushed velvet covered it. Four fluffy pillows were placed at the front, near the headset. The headset itself was also polished wood that was craved into a fancy pattern. A large, oval mirror was set in the middle.

"There's only one bed?" Sakura noticed, her anxiety rising. "Does that mean we have to share?"

"Yes," Schuldig confirmed, smirking. "I thought it would be nice to sleep in the same bed. It doesn't have to mean anything sexual."

Sakura stared at the bed nervously. It was pretty big, so there was enough room for her and Schuldig. But what if he started touching her in his sleep? The prospect of sharing a bed with him was unnerving to Sakura.

Schuldig saw how distressed Sakura was. He stepped up to her and curled his arms around her waist from behind. He then turned her around and pressed his lips against hers. He held her tightly in his arms as he started to kiss her passionately.


	7. Remember Me

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Chapter 7: Remember Me  
It was past nine, so the trailer was closed for business. Ken, Omi, and Yoji sat around in the main section, none of them daring to speak. Ran's sudden decision to leave Tokyo the next morning did not sit very well with them. He stood in the doorway, his cold eyes fixed on the others.

Ran's cell phone began ringing. He turned it on and held it up to his ear. "Hello?" he greeted into the mouthpiece.

"Hi, this is Sakura's mother," the person on the other line greeted back. "Schuldig-san took Sakura to a nearby dance club, but they haven't come back yet, and it's getting very late. Did they come to visit you?"

Ran gripped the phone tighter. "No, they aren't here," he said as calmly as possible. "But we'll look for them."

"I will, too," Sakura's mother replied. "Oh, I hope Sakura's all right. 'Bye."

"I hope so too," Ran said as the older woman hung up. He turned off his cell phone and faced the other three florists. "I knew I couldn't trust that Schuldig," the redhead began. "Listen, Sakura has gone missing, but we are going to find her." _And Schuldig will have hell to pay,_ he added as an afterthought.

o o o o o o

This wasn't what Sakura had expected. But she supposed she kind of liked it. The lights were dimmed to give the room a more "romantic" feeling, and Schuldig was being very gentle with his kissing. Plus, for the first time, she had kissed him. He seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed that. For that instant, Sakura wished that she were a telepath to see just how much Schuldig had enjoyed that. Although, that kind of "enjoyment" was probably indescribable.

They were lying in the bed on their sides, peacefully staring at each other. For the most part, they were still clothed. Schuldig had, however, taken off his shirt to try to invoke some "excitement" from Sakura. She desperately tried not to stare at his chest, but it was so well-muscled with smooth, creamy skin.

Schuldig reached out and gently grabbed Sakura's hand. "It's all right," he assured in a heated voice, placing her hand on his left shoulder. "You can touch me."

Sakura blushed slightly. She laid her other hand on Schuldig's right shoulder and pulled herself closer. "I don't know how I should feel," she confessed, resting her head on his chest. "At first, I thought you were just some manipulative murderer, but now that we're like this, you don't seem so evil."

Schuldig lovingly ran his fingers through Sakura's brown hair and kissed her forehead. "I haven't changed at all," he whispered softly. "Love can't change someone like me. You should know that. You still fear that I'm gonna become abusive."

"That's not true!" Sakura corrected, her voice defensive. "I trust you, Schuldig-san!"

"I'm not blaming you," Schuldig said. "You have reason to fear that. I have hurt you a lot. It seems that every time I try to be affectionate toward you, I just end up hurting you."

Sakura sighed heavily. "Schuldig-san, I won't deny that you've hurt me, and I've been angry about it," she began. "But even though I hated it, I understood why you hurt me. I hurt you first, and that made you angry." She paused uneasily. "You thought I still had feelings for Ran-san, and you were afraid I would leave you."

"Yes, that's all true," Schuldig confirmed, slowly nodding his head. "I tried to convince you that Ran didn't care for you so that you would forget about him. I wanted you all for myself. I was so jealous and possessive, I didn't care if I had to hurt you to make you mine."

Schuldig held Sakura tighter in his arms. "No one thinks I can love you," he remembered. "They all think I want to control you, and to rape you. But all I want is to prove them wrong."

Sakura looked up at Schuldig. "Schuldig-san…" she whispered, a soft smile on her face.

Schuldig cupped Sakura's face in his hands. "I love you, Sakura," he repeated before tenderly easing his lips over hers.

o o o o o o

Ran pulled his car up into the parking lot of the dance club. Before jumping to any conclusions, he wanted to make sure that Sakura hadn't merely lost track of time. Although, somehow he felt that wasn't the case at all.

Ran stepped out of his car and descended the stairs to the entrance of the dance club. The inside was packed with dancing couples, but Ran could clearly see that neither Sakura nor Schuldig was here.

He leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. Why was he being so paranoid? Maybe Schuldig and Sakura had just wanted to have some more fun, but not in a suggestive manner. After all, Ran had no proof that Schuldig wanted to control Sakura. There was always the slim chance that Schuldig had changed over the two years. It wasn't entirely impossible for Schuldig to sincerely love Sakura.

However, Ran couldn't bring himself to trust Schuldig. Still, Sakura trusted Schuldig, and that was what should've mattered.

Ran didn't accept that, though. He didn't want Sakura to trust Schuldig. And not just because he was fearful for her safety.

So, exactly why didn't he want Sakura to trust Schuldig? It was her choice, after all. So why? Ran asked himself that over and over as loud music filled his ears.

Then it hit him. Was it because he was jealous?

o o o o o o

Schuldig nuzzled the side of Sakura's neck lovingly as she wrapped her arms securely around his back. This was actually rather pleasant. He was more affectionate now, and he seemed to know exactly how to make her feel loved. He was a telepath, after all. But, Sakura had a bit of an uncomfortable feeling in her gut that she didn't quite understand.

Schuldig pulled himself up and looked down on Sakura. He was on top of her, straddling her hips with his knees. "I love it when you're not worried," he admitted quietly, sliding his hands up Sakura's arms to her shoulders. "It makes me happy." He spread his arms out and enclosed the girl's hands in his. Their fingers intertwined warmly.

Schuldig relaxed his arm muscles and rested his head on Sakura's soft chest. He listened to the smooth rhythm of her heart. "Wouldn't it be nice if we could share our heartbeats?" he wondered. "Their rhythms would be as one, and it would be soothing to hear." He cuddled with Sakura more. "I want to share everything with you, _Geliebte_. Your happiness, your sorrow, all your emotions…"

Sakura clutched Schuldig's hands tighter and gently kissed the top of his head. She didn't trust herself to speak. She was afraid she would just end up ruining the moment. She released one of Schuldig's hands so she could curl her arm against his back. She then buried her face in his orange hair.

Schuldig wrapped his free hand around the back of Sakura's head. He softly kissed Sakura's jaw line. "I could ask what you think of me, but I would rather read your mind," he began lazily. "When you verbally admit your feelings, you aren't always honest. Sometimes it's unintentional, but sometimes you lie to avoid hurting another person." He brushed his lips up against the side of Sakura's face. "I wanted you to feel a certain way toward me. I could have controlled those feelings, but I decided not to. It wouldn't have been quite as much…'fun.' Sakura, I love you, and you know that. But where's the fun if the two people in the relationship don't share the same love?" His grin became a smirk.

"Schuldig-san…?" Sakura finally dared to speak.

"Sakura, there is something I wish for you to do," the German continued, his icy blue eyes gleaming. _"Ich wünsche, daß du mich lieben würde."_

Sakura's breathing became stiff. What did Schuldig mean by that? What did he wish for her to do? And exactly what did he mean by wanting her to feel a certain way toward him?

_"You might even fall in love with me."_

Sakura suddenly remembered Schuldig saying that before he had confessed his love to her. It was all so obvious now. Schuldig wanted Sakura to love him. It was what any person in love wanted. After all, Sakura had wanted that when she had been in love with Ran.

Schuldig hoisted himself up and cupped Sakura's chin in his hand. "You're all I ever wanted," he said, "and now I can finally have you." He ran his fingers through Sakura's hair and brushed his cheek against hers. "Sakura, you will be mine," he whispered into Sakura's ear. He then lightly nibbled her earlobe with his lips.

Sakura's heartbeat quickened. Schuldig was now tenderly licking her cheek, as if he was _tasting_ her. He slid his hand up her waist as he shifted his body weight so that it was more centered. He gripped Sakura's arms tightly and kissed her full on the mouth. But the way he was kissing her now, he was acting so hungry. This kiss wasn't as 'innocent' as Sakura wanted. It was quite suggestive, if not a bit sexual. Schuldig grew more fervent as his "playfulness" turned rough.

o o o o o o

The song was "Remember Me" by Leslie Parrish. It was like a mixture of rock and techno. However, despite its active beat, its lyrics were quite the contrary.

Ran leaned on the counter as he wanted for his drink. He was still in the dance club. He knew that he should've been looking for Sakura and Schuldig, but half of him was afraid. What if Sakura was happy being with Schuldig? Ran was being selfish, but he just didn't want his heart to be broken.

_"You took away my chance to be with you forever…"_

The refreshments man handed Ran an iced tea. "Here you go, son," he presented. "So, what's wrong? You seem depressed."

"I'm fine," Ran assured emotionlessly, accepting his iced tea.

_"To be your love and stay together…"_

Ran quietly sipped his drink. He remembered how far he would go to protect Sakura from Schuldig. He had been willing to return to the life of an assassin. What a fool he was. That hadn't been worth getting his inner murderer worked up. Besides, he had been trying to put all that behind him.

_"You gave away the precious love that we had to somebody else…"_

God, why did he think of Sakura all the time now? What was so special about her? She looked like his sister. So what? She _wasn't_ his sister. Still, was she the cause of the emptiness inside his heart?

_"Oh baby, I wanna tell you…"_

The truth then became clear in his mind. He was in love with Sakura. And he was jealous of Schuldig. He wanted Sakura's love, and to give her his love in return.

_"Remember me, remember everything we used to be…"_

But he didn't deserve Sakura. No matter what he did, he couldn't leave his past behind. It would be a shadow that would follow him around for eternity. Also, he had ignored the young girl for two years. But before that, he had always pushed her away. He had told her that he didn't deserve to be loved. Now, Sakura had given her love to someone else. And Schuldig returned that love.

_"Can you feel my heart pounding, pounding?"_

Ran paid for his drink and stood up. He should at least confirm that Sakura was safe, he figured. He left the dance club, trying to suppress his feelings for Sakura.

o o o o o o

At first glance, Crawford seemed like the type of person who stood alone. He cared for no one, and he needed no one. But that was only on the surface.

Crawford sat in the starry-vortex room as he mused about his feelings. He had tried his hardest to suppress them, but they had been too strong. They were beginning to affect his personality, and how he did things.

He had warned both Schuldig and Sakura about his prediction, but not out of spite or cruelty. Like he had told Sakura, if only she would be hurt, then he couldn't care less. But it wasn't like that. Schuldig would also be hurt by this relationship. He would mistake lust for love, try to force Sakura into doing something she didn't want to, and end up hurting both her and himself.

Crawford let out a light sigh. He had warned Sakura to stay away with Schuldig, and even threatened her, but she had not heeded his warnings. Oh, he could always have killed her, but then Schuldig would not be too pleased. No matter how hard Crawford tried to deny it, Schuldig was sincerely in love with Sakura. And if she was hurt, he was hurt.

But in the end, it wouldn't work out. Crawford did not want to see Schuldig hurt, but he could not see an easy solution to this problem. The only "solution" would be his prediction, and that would only result in more pain.

But then again, that also meant Schuldig's and Sakura's relationship would fall apart. And yet, jealous as he was of Sakura, Crawford didn't want to win Schuldig in such a disgusting manner. In all honesty, he didn't want to see Schuldig in such pain. But it seemed as if it was inevitable.

If only Crawford hadn't been so jealous…

o o o o o o

Omi met up with Ken. Omi was on his scooter, while Ken was driving his motorcycle. Omi hopped off his scooter and ran up to Ken. "Have you found Sakura-chan yet?" he asked the soccer player.

Ken shook his head. "I'll keep looking," he promised. "Hey, do you really think Sakura's in danger?"

"We don't know that," Omi reminded. "That's why to have to find Sakura-chan; to make sure she's safe."

"Of course," Ken replied, nodding his head. "God, I hope Schuldig hasn't done anything to her."

Omi got back on his scooter. "I'll see if Yoji-kun found out anything," he decided. "See ya, Ken-kun." He started up the engine and drove off.

"For Ran's sake, Sakura had better be okay," Ken whispered softly. He knew Ran was taking his the hardest. He just prayed that Ran didn't do anything rash or reckless.

o o o o o o

Sakura wasn't enjoying his affections now, Schuldig noticed. In fact, she seemed scared. Why would that be? Even though he had grown more passionate, he was still being very gentle. It was hard to find a reason through all those muddled thoughts.

Schuldig took his hands off Sakura and rolled over onto his side. "What's wrong, _Geliebte_?" he asked kindly. "You seem discontent."

_"Geliebte,"_ Sakura repeated meekly. "What does that mean?"

"It's German," Schuldig answered, pulling himself nearer to Sakura. "It means _lover_." However, he did not mention that the word wasn't as innocent as one would have expected.

Sakura somehow knew, though. She lowered her cherry blossom eyes from Schuldig's ice blue eyes. She now seemed more discontent than just a few minutes ago.

Schuldig sighed heavily. "Please tell me what's wrong," he requested, very slowly placing himself on top of Sakura. He lightly kissed her forehead. "I can't stand it when you're like this."

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized, laying her hands on Schuldig's bare shoulders. "It's just that…" She trailed off sadly. She didn't have the heart to finish.

But she didn't have to. The rest was clear in her mind. Of course, Schuldig was none too pleased. "Sakura, am I making you uncomfortable?" he wanted to know, cupping her face in his hands.

"It's just that this is all happening so fast," Sakura said, still not making eye contact with Schuldig. "We've only been going out for a little over a month and already we're doing something like this."

"Sakura, we're not doing anything wrong," Schuldig reassured, using one hand to brush Sakura's bangs from her forehead and placing his other hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, this is supposed to be enjoyable." He slid his hand down to her breast.

Sakura's breathing became stiff. She didn't want Schuldig to touch her like that. Of course, he wasn't really _touching _her in that sense, but still, it frightened her.

"Mm…you're very soft," Schuldig noticed as he clutched Sakura tighter. He lowered the turtleneck collar of Sakura's shirt and then he gently kissed her throat as he slowly made his way up to her lips. His affections would make her feel better. They were what she wanted. She was falling in love with him.

But Sakura really didn't want this. Schuldig shoved her harder down on the bed as his "affections" became more fervent. He then started licking her face and nibbling her earlobe while he slid his hands down her body. She wanted to push him away, but she couldn't do it. _Stop it, please,_ she begged, hoping Schuldig would hear her thoughts. _I don't want this…_

_It hurts, it hurts… You're hurting me…_

If Schuldig heard Sakura's plead, he made no sign. He slithered his hands under her back and he eased his mouth over hers. But this kiss was lustful, like it was a grotesque disregard for the young girl's innocence. He moved his hands up her back and brought her closer.

Once more he ran his hands over Sakura's breasts. She tried to seize his wrists, but he grabbed her arms and pinned them to her sides. "Come now, don't be like that," he ordered lazily. Very slowly, he released the girl's arms and slid his hands over her breasts up to her shoulders.

Schuldig grinned wickedly as he rubbed his cheek beside Sakura's. He leisurely moved his hands down her sides to her waist. Just the tips of his fingers found their way under her shirt. He relaxed his body and his chest crushed against Sakura's. "Don't be afraid," he whispered into her ear, his voice low and heated. "You'll love this. I promise." Harshly, he pushed his lips over Sakura's, more out of hunger than love. Then he sharply drew his head back as his knees tightened around Sakura's hips.

And then again, he kissed her. And like with before, his kiss was overly sexual. It seemed to on forever, as his lips were interlocked with hers. It was like they didn't want to let go.

Soon, Schuldig reluctantly took his lips off Sakura's to get a breath of air, but before Sakura could do the same, Schuldig once more he had his lips on hers. But this time he slipped some tongue into her mouth. He licked the insides of her lips as his hands went further up under her shirt, uncomfortably close to her bra.

Finally Sakura could take no more. She placed her hand on Schuldig's face and pushed him away. "Stop it!" she ordered, tears forming in her pink eyes. "You're hurting me!"

_"You will emotionally and physically hurt Miss Sakura when you think she wants something when it's just you who wants it."_

Crawford's prediction came rushing back to Schuldig. Crawford had been correct. Sakura didn't want any of this at all; it was just Schuldig who wanted this, but he had convinced himself otherwise. And now he had hurt Sakura. She was crying, failing miserably at holding back her tears. It was all Schuldig's fault. He had nearly raped her.

Or else he _did _rape her. But whether or not this counted as "rape," he no longer had any right to say he loved Sakura.

Schuldig stood up and turned his back to Sakura. "I'll take you home now," he decided, picking up his shirt. "I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"Schuldig-san…" Sakura whispered softly, trying to wipe away her tears.

Schuldig said nothing in reply. His mind was in total astray, and his heart felt like it had been torn apart. He didn't want to be in the same room as Sakura anymore. But he at least had to take her home. He would leave her afterwards. She was far better off without him.

What a fool Schuldig had been, thinking he could sincerely love someone.

* * *

Translation notes:  
_Ich wünsche, daß du mich lieben würde:_ I wish that you would love me


	8. Farewell, Miserable Dreams

_Ich Werde Dir Immer Verzeihen_

Chapter 8: Farewell, Miserable Dreams  
Schuldig had gone and done it. He had completely screwed up his relationship with Sakura. It was a wonder she just didn't run off, frightened. Somehow, he would have preferred that. Sakura was so quiet and still it was almost nerve-wrecking. She had not said a word since Schuldig had started driving her home.

Schuldig was not looking forward to reaching Sakura's house. Mostly likely her mother would begin asking him awkward questions, and the last thing he wanted was to mention what he had done to Sakura.

He stole a glance over at Sakura. Her cherry blossom eyes were still blood-shot from crying. She was still only a child, Schuldig thought. With him being an adult, what he had done would most definitely be considered as "rape." Suddenly, he stopped the car.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry," Schuldig apologized, his voice calm, yet sad. "I never meant to fulfill Crawford's prediction. Once I drop you off, I'm leaving you for good."

"Wait, Schuldig-san-" Sakura began worriedly, but Schuldig interrupted her.

"It's for the best," Schuldig continued on. "Every time I say I won't hurt you, I do. I'm just some cruel sadist. I've been that way for so long. It's too late for me to change." He let out a depressed sigh. "I knew you wanted me to stop. I heard those thoughts. They hurt me, and yet I didn't stop. Truth is, a part of me enjoyed hurting you." Another depressed sigh. "I don't want to confront your mother, but I can't let you walk home by yourself this late."

"Hey, there's Yoji-san…" Sakura whispered unexpectedly, looking out the window.

Schuldig looked up, and saw the strange car that could only belong to Kudou Yoji. "How convenient," he remarked, smirking. He turned to face Sakura and cupped her chin in his hand. More out of instinct than fear, she slapped his hand away and flinched back. "Should've expected that," Schuldig mumbled. "You're so scared of me, you won't even let me touch you. If I were to kiss you now, you'd expect me to stick my tongue in your mouth, right?"

"I'm sorry…" was Sakura's only reply, although her eyes answered the question.

Schuldig sighed again. "Just remember that I sincerely love you," he requested in a quiet voice. He turned his face from Sakura's. "Well, good-bye, my love." He didn't use _Geliebte_ because it also carried a touch of adultery in German. He had originally used it to mock the girl's old feelings for Ran. Just his cruel nature rearing its ugly head.

Sakura's mind felt as if it was torn in two. She didn't want Schuldig to leave, but she also agreed that it was for the best. She had grown frightened of him. "I'm sorry, Schuldig-san," she repeated meekly. Without glancing at Schuldig, she got out of his car.

Schuldig smiled softly as he watched Yoji get out of his own car and step up to Sakura. He thought about the first and only time the young girl had kissed him. It had been quite an unexpected kiss. Schuldig had taken his lips off Sakura's when she had suddenly pressed _her_ lips against _his_. He savored every moment of that kiss. Just for that second, she had been in love with him.

But now, because of Schuldig's lustful desires, she no longer was. Still, as the saying went, "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." He slightly shook his head and then drove off, leaving Sakura alone with Yoji.

o o o o o o

Crawford was becoming sloppy, Farfarello noticed. Crawford had forgotten to restrain the Farfarello in a straitjacket for the night. Farfarello had decided to take advantage of this freedom and he was now going around and killing Christian priests. Schuldig had promised to join him, but as Farfarello already suspected, Schuldig could hardly be trusted to keep promises.

Farfarello stabbed his short knife into the priest's throat and then immediately jerked it out. Blood flew from the priest's throat as his dead body hit the hard floor. He had died too quickly for Farfarello's tastes.

Servants of God were so foolish, Farfarello thought as he looked up at the large crystal crucifix. They devoted their lives to God, but He never did anything to repay them. He just let them suffer and wither away. A boy named Jei once believed in God, but the Almighty just took his family away. Now Jei was dead.

Farfarello kicked the priest's dead body and then left the small church. He thought about how bored he was as he walked down the dark street. This "freedom" wasn't very satisfying. It had just been a result of Crawford's forgetfulness.

And that was the problem right there. Crawford was never forgetful. Something was wrong with him. Probably because of Schuldig.

Not that Farfarello cared or anything. He just wanted to get as much out of this "freedom" as he could.

As Farfarello was wandering around, his cat-like eyes fixed themselves on two people standing in front of the stone gate for a small house. The boy had dark hair was he was dressed almost entirely in black. The girl had aqua blue hair and she clutched a raggy stuffed bunny to her chest. She seemed perky and cheerful.

Farfarello grinned insanely. He now realized what the source of the problem was.

Nagi was rubbing off too much on Crawford and Schuldig.

o o o o o o

"Sakura, are you all right?" Yoji asked worriedly as he quickly stepped up to Sakura.

"Yeah…" Sakura assured in a quiet voice. "Can you take me home?"

Yoji smiled softly. "Sure," he said. He led Sakura to his car and they both got in. Yoji then started up the engine. Sakura's heart was racing uncontrollably, and she didn't understand why.

Why did Sakura feel so nervous around Yoji now? He was a nice guy, if a bit perverted. But he would never try anything on an unwilling woman, especially not one who was underage. Maybe she was still shaken up by what had happened with Schuldig.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat as soon as she remembered what Schuldig had said about Yoji. Yoji strangled women after he was done with them. No, that wasn't true. Schuldig had been lying. He was just being jealous and possessive then. Still, the young girl couldn't help but feel a little frightened of Yoji…

_No, Yoji-san's a good person,_ Sakura told herself. She couldn't let herself think differently because of what Schuldig had done. But it wasn't like he had actually raped her or anything, she continued to tell herself.

"So, what happened?" Yoji wondered, his voice gentle. "Schuldig didn't try to hurt you, did he?"

"No, no, he didn't!" Sakura corrected defensively. "We just lost track of time, that's all!" She breathed heavily, and her heart beat loudly.

Somehow, Yoji didn't believe Sakura. If she had merely lost track of time, then why did she seem so shaken up? Also, why did she want Yoji to drive her home? Shouldn't Schuldig have been doing that? "Sakura, I won't force the truth out of you," Yoji began, "but if Schuldig raped you, then I need to know!"

"Schuldig-san did NOT rape me!" Sakura yelled, about to cry from anger. "Why is everyone expecting that? He's a good person, and he really does love me." Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Why can't you trust him?"

Yoji sighed. "Look, I'm sorry if I offended you," he apologized. "But I just can't forgive him for all the things he's done." He reached out and laid his hand on Sakura's shoulder. Instinctively, she jerked back, seemingly scared of someone touching her. Yoji appeared to be surprised at this action, as well as a little hurt.

"Sorry," Sakura said timidly, wrapping her arms protectively around her body. "I just don't want to talk about it, but it's nothing for you to worry about."

Yoji wiped away one of Sakura's tears. She flinched, but only slightly. "It's okay, I understand," he replied in a kind voice. "I won't tell Ran what happened."

"Thank you…" Sakura whispered vaguely, a small smile on her sad lips.

She and Yoji drove in silence until they reached Sakura's house. There, the blond playboy said, "Hey, me and the other florists are leaving Tokyo tomorrow. Why don't you come over and say good-bye? You can also invite Aya and Momoe-san."

"Sure," Sakura promised. She stepped out of Yoji's car and went up to the door of her house. She knocked, and her mother answered. They exchanged a few words, and Sakura walked into her house, closing the door behind her.

Yoji laid his head back and looked up at the starry night sky. He had a pretty good idea of what had happened between Schuldig and Sakura. While Schuldig didn't do anything that could be considered as "rape," he had obviously emotionally hurt Sakura in some way. And it was even more obvious that she had been affected quite deeply. Yoji prayed that she would be all right as he drove off.

o o o o o o

"We had fun today!" said the only surviving member of Schreient, Tot, as she grinned widely. "Didn't we, Rabbi-chan?"

"Yes, we had lotsa fun!" she added, this time pretending it was her stuffed bunny talking.

Nagi smiled softly. "I'm happy," he admitted, enjoying Tot's innocence and cheerfulness. "I hope we can see each other again soon."

Tot's grin became wider. "Me too!" she agreed. "See ya, Nagi-kun!" She gave Nagi a kiss on the cheek before she stepped through the stone gate of her house.

"'Bye, Tot," Nagi whispered quietly. He turned around, and then found himself face-to-face with Farfarello.

"Hello, little Nagi," Farfarello greeted, smirking insanely.

"What are you doing here?" Nagi asked coldly. "Aren't you supposed to be restrained in your straitjacket?"

"Crawford forgot," Farfarello told Nagi. "He's thinking about Schuldig too much, just like you're thinking about that Schreient girl too much."

"Whatever," Nagi retorted, running his fingers through his black hair. "Crawford just isn't able to fully understand his emotions."

Farfarello laughed cruelly. "You're also rubbing off on Schuldig," he added. "But unlike you, he actually knows how to use his special 'gift.' He knows how to really 'love' someone."

"You have no idea what 'love' is, do you?" Nagi assumed. "All you want is to give birth to the Anti-Christ. But Schuldig isn't like you."

"You've forgotten Crawford's prediction, haven't you?" Farfarello guessed, the grin vanishing from his lips. "Schuldig is going to rape that girl. Does that count as love to you? Are you going to rape Tot because you love her?"

Nagi was growing angry, but he kept his telekinesis in check. "Rape is not love," he reminded, his voice monotone. "And Crawford never said anything about Schuldig raping Sakura." He shrugged his small shoulders. "But so what? It's not like I care about either of them. I'm going home now. You might want to as well, if you don't want Crawford to be angry."

Farfarello said nothing in reply, but he did agree with Nagi about going home. He really didn't care if Crawford would be angry, but he had grown bored of his cheap "freedom."

o o o o o o

_The next day._

It was a cool, quiet summer day. It was early morning, and it felt quite lazy. The former members of Weiß stood outside their trailer. They all silently agreed that they wanted to reminisce a little longer before they left Tokyo.

Omi leaned against the side of the trailer. He and the other florists were probably never going to return to Tokyo ever again. Somehow, he was saddened. He actually felt comfortable here. While Tokyo was home to many of his painful memories, it was also home to many of his precious memories. Tokyo was where he first met his first love, Sakaki Ouka. Then he had found out she was his half-sister. But, it was also here in Tokyo she had been taken away forever, just like the other members of his family.

"You look deep in thought," Yoji noticed about Omi. "What are you thinking about?"

"The past," Omi answered vaguely. "You know, I'm gonna miss this place when we leave."

"I won't," Ken admitted curtly. "I hate this place. We've killed too many people here."

Ran remained silent. For the most part, he agreed with Ken, but he did think that Omi had a point. There were a few things the redhead would miss, such as his loved ones.

_Especially Sakura._ The thought crept into his mind suddenly. He shook his head slightly to get rid of it.

"Hey, what are they doing here?" Ken asked, breaking Ran's train of thought.

Ran looked up. In front of him and the others stood Momoe, Aya, and Sakura.

"I invited them," Yoji answered, a sly smile on his lips. "I thought it would be nice to see them before we left Tokyo."

"Yoji…" Ran hissed sharply. He had wanted to leave quietly, without any surprises.

"Brother?" Aya said gently, stepping up to Ran.

"Aya," Ran replied as he lost his cold demeanor.

Aya smiled softly. "I'm happy I could see you again," she confessed. "I haven't seen you for four years." She let out a sigh. "I want to know how you've been, but it's been very painful, hasn't it?"

"Aya…" Ran laid his hands on his sister's shoulders and pulled her close. She returned his embrace. "I missed you so much," he said, pressing Aya's hair against the nape of her neck. "I'm glad I could see you one last time."

"One last time?" Aya repeated, becoming worried. "You mean you're leaving Tokyo for good?"

Ran nodded grimly. "You know I would rather stay here with you, but I can't," he confirmed. "Please understand."

Aya's arms tightened around her brother's back. "I understand," she finally replied. "Just please don't forget me. I'll always remember you, Ran."

"I won't forget you, either," Ran promised, lightly kissing Aya's forehead. "I love you, Aya."

"And I love you too," Aya reminded, stepping back. "I'll let Sakura-chan talk to you now. Make her happy, brother." She went over to join Momoe, who was talking with Ken, Omi, and Yoji.

Ran turned to face Sakura. "Hello, Sakura," he greeted emotionlessly.

"Hi, Ran-san," Sakura replied, looking down at her feet. "Yoji-san told me that you were leaving today, so I wanted to patch things up first. Ran-san, I'm so sorry for everything that's happened since you came back to Tokyo! I'm sorry for hurting you the way I did…"

"No, I should be the one apologizing for hurting _you_," Ran corrected. "It's true that I didn't trust Schuldig, but that wasn't the only reason I hated seeing him with you. You see, I was also jealous of him."

Sakura looked up into Ran's pale violet eyes. "Ran-san?" she whispered.

"It was only yesterday when I fully understood my own feelings," Ran continued, his voice growing less cold. "Sakura…I love you." He sighed heavily. "But I'll understand if you've given your love to Schuldig."

"Actually, we kinda broke up," Sakura confessed, her voice sorrowful. She rubbed her hands nervously. "Our relationship fell apart." She paused uneasily. "I couldn't understand how I felt toward him. I think I may have loved him, but I just don't know. I thought I loved you…"

"Sakura, feelings can change," Ran explained kindly. "Remember, I cut you out of my life for two years. Schuldig found you when you were most vulnerable, so it's very possible that you did fall in love with him."

"I guess…" was Sakura's only reply. Her pink eyes seemed a bit watery.

Ran stepped up closer to Sakura. "Sakura, I want to share a kiss with you," he said, his voice slightly nervous. "Is that all right with you?"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. Just a few months ago, she wouldn't have minded being kissed by Ran. So why was she so unwilling now? Was it because of what had happened with Schuldig?

That was silly, she thought. Schuldig had merely scared her. It wasn't like he had actually hurt her or anything. So, she really had no reason to be scared. Still, she _was_. But Ran wouldn't slip his tongue into her mouth, she told herself.

Sakura opened her mouth to say yes, but no words came out. She just couldn't bring herself to allow Ran to kiss her. "No…" she refused, her voice so quiet that it was barely audible.

Ran didn't seem surprised. "I understand," he said. "It is because of what happened with Schuldig?"

Numbly, Sakura nodded her head.

A small smile came upon Ran's lips. "I won't ask you want happened," he decided, his voice gentle. "It's your own business, after all. But when you come to terms with your heartbreak and if we ever see each other again, please let me kiss you."

For a few minutes, Sakura said nothing. "Maybe," she said after a long silence, but there was no conviction in her voice.

Ran reached out and touched the dangling earring in Sakura's left ear. "I love you, Sakura," he repeated, touching the earring in his own ear.

It was now time for the former members of Weiß to leave. They each received a big hug from Momoe, and Ran embraced Aya one last time. There was a chorus of "good-bye's" as Ran, Ken, Omi, and Yoji got into their trailer and drove away. Aya, Sakura, and Momoe waved until it was out of sight.

"Do you think we'll ever see them again?" Aya wondered aloud.

"I hope so," Sakura prayed. "Hey, let's head back to the Kitty in the House now. The flowers aren't gonna sell themselves, you know!"

Aya chuckled. "Okay," she agreed, grinning widely. Sakura seemed happy to her, but it was only a mask of cheerfulness. Beneath it beat Sakura's wounded heart. But Aya would do everything she could to comfort her closest friend.

o o o o o o

Schuldig stood outside as he leaned against his red car. When he had come home the night before, he had immediately headed to his room. He had not wanted to deal Schwarz, especially not with Crawford.

Schuldig sighed heavily. His heart still hurt from the break-up with Sakura, even though he knew it was for the best. But what hurt them the most was that the break-up had been entirely his fault.

If only he had taken Crawford's prediction seriously…

Schuldig looked up at the clear blue sky. This was all like some miserable dream. But now that he had woken up, he had to move on, and Sakura would have to do the same. She would probably never forgive him now, but Schuldig would always forgive her.

"So how are you this morning?" Crawford asked as he came up next to Schuldig.

"Fine," Schuldig responded in a monotone voice.

Crawford also leaned against the car. "Did my prediction come true?" he wondered, pushing his thin-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Schuldig glared at Crawford. "No," he answered. "I didn't rape Sakura."

"I never said anything about rape," Crawford corrected. "Your relationship didn't work out, did it?"

Schuldig's body stiffened uncomfortably. "No, it didn't," he confirmed. "You were right about one thing. Sakura wasn't the one for me." It pained him greatly to admit that.

Nothing was said or done for almost a minute. Finally, Crawford slid his hand over Schuldig's. "Forget about Miss Sakura," he requested in a heated tone. "I knew she would only hurt you, and I didn't want to see you suffer like that. She would never have been able to understand you or your 'gift.' You should find someone who will."

"And that person may be very close by," Schuldig added, smirking. "That Nagi has been quite an influence. But you know, I really don't mind. I felt secure when I loved Sakura."

Crawford smiled sincerely. "Or so you would like to believe," he figured. "But I won't argue with you."

Schuldig looked over at the other side of the street, and saw Aya, Momoe, and Sakura. Sakura turned her head, and cherry blossom eyes met ice blue eyes.

_I love you, Sakura,_ Schuldig called out telepathically.

_I love you too, Schuldig-san,_ Sakura replied, smiling sadly.

She meant that with all possible sincerity; just not romantically. Still, Schuldig was not saddened at all. Maybe in a few years, once they had forgiven themselves and each other, they could begin a new relationship, one purely of friends.

END


End file.
